Our goal is to leverage our experience and expertise in the biology of neuronal nicotinic receptors (which we refer to as NNRs) and the discovery and development of novel drugs that selectively target them to become a leader in the commercialization of NNR Therapeutics™ to treat diseases and disorders for which there are significant medical needs and commercial potential. We have several strategies designed to help achieve our goal, including selective collaboration.
Partnering Strategy
Our strategy involves selective partnering with leading companies with the resources and capabilities to assist us in the development and commercialization of our product candidates. In general, we seek to identify and enter into alliances and collaborations in target indications for which our collaborator has particular expertise or that involve large primary care markets that must be served by large sales and marketing organizations. In entering into these arrangements, our goal will generally be to maintain co-promotion or co-commercialization rights for specialists, particularly in neurology and psychiatry, in the United States and, in some cases, other markets.
In December 2009, we entered into a collaboration and license agreement with AstraZeneca for the global development and commercialization of TC-5214, our late-stage product candidate for major depressive disorder (MDD).
In December 2005, we entered into a collaborative research and license agreement with AstraZeneca for the development and worldwide commercialization of AZD3480 as a treatment for conditions marked by cognitive impairment. Under the agreement, we and AstraZeneca also conducted a multi-year research collaboration to discover and develop additional compounds that, like AZD3480, act on the α4β2 NNR. AZD1446 was discovered and advanced as part of that research collaboration. Under the agreement, we have the option to co-promote AZD3480, AZD1446 and any other compound that is selected for advancement arising out of the research collaboration to specified classes of specialist physicians in the United States.
Our collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca also includes a mechanism pursuant to which we have the right to offer to AstraZeneca a license under the terms of the agreement to compounds that act on other NNR subtypes for the indications for which AstraZeneca has development and commercialization rights under the agreement.
We are receptive to inquiries regarding potential alliances or collaborations, with particular interest in our Phase 2 product candidates in development in inflammatory disorders (initial Phase 2 studies in asthma and Type 2 diabetes) and gastrointestinal disorders (chronic idiopathic constipation), as well as our late-preclinical program in Parkinson’s disease/Levodopa-induced dyskinesias. We are also receptive to evaluating clinical-stage CNS opportunities to complement our pipeline.
Business Development Contact Information
If you are interested in exploring licensing or other collaborative opportunities for our development programs or your own in-licensing opportunities, please contact us at:
BusinessDevelopment@targacept.com
(336) 480-2285 (fax)