Roche Links Up With Oryzon Genomics To Develop Orphan Drug Molecule

Oryzon Genomics SA and Roche announced that the companies have entered into a partnership to develop and market inhibitors of Lysine Specific Demethylase-1 (LSD1; KDM1A), an epigenetic modulator responsible for regulating gene expression.

The lead molecule called ORY-1001 received orphan drug designation from the European Medicines Agency in August 2013 for potential treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The compound is currently undergoing Phase I/II trials.

John Reed, Roche’s head of pharmaceutical research and early development, said,“Oryzon is working at the leading edge of LSD1 inhibition, a technology with great potential to bring genuine patient benefit. Our TCRC in New York has been launched with a mandate to identify partnerships that drive innovation, providing an industry leading conduit between sources of breakthrough science and the broader Roche organization. This collaboration on LSD1 inhibition with Oryzon fulfils that mandate perfectly.”

Roche has the sole responsibility for the development and marketing of ORY-1001, as well as its backup compounds. The agreement will include the licensure of two patent families by Oryzon covering pioneering research in LSD1. An initial two year collaborative research program between Roche’s Translational Clinical Research Center (TCRC) and Oryzon will focus on research of LSD1 inhibitors in oncology and hematology.

Carlos Buesa, CEO of Oryzon, said, “We are excited to work with Roche in developing ORY-1001 to make a significant difference for patients with AML and, hopefully, for patients in other disease areas as well. Roche is the global leader in oncology and hematology, with a tremendous expertise in clinical development; this was the primary reason to prioritize this alliance. The collaboration is recognition of our cutting-edge science and our experience in epigenetics, an approach that we believe holds great promise for many patient groups.”

An upfront payment and near-term milestones of $21 million will be paid to Oryzon under the terms of the new agreement, plus other milestones that could exceed $500 million together with tiered royalties on sales.