AURIGENE TO COLLABORATE WITH FOREST, MERCK SERONO

Indian drugmaker Aurigene Discovery Technologies has recently announced two new small-molecule drug-development collaborations.

Aurigene and Forest Laboratories have entered into an agreement to discover small-molecule drug candidates for an obesity and metabolic disorder target. Forest selected the target and will direct the collaboration.

Aurigene will undertake and fund discovery and optimization of lead compounds. Forest will have responsibility for and will fund all subsequent drug development and commercialization activities. In addition, Forest has full ownership of the compounds developed under the collaboration with unencumbered worldwide rights. Aurigene could receive more than $60 million in development and sales milestone payments if a compound is successfully commercialized.

Also, Aurigene has entered into a collaboration with Merck Serono to identify small-molecule drugs for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Aurigene will receive funding for the lead generation and optimization according to a predefined research plan, and the company will be entitled to milestone payments on reaching certain predetermined milestones.