Actelion to further strengthen its research efforts
Long-term collaboration with Discovery Partners International grants access to biological screening methods
Actelion Ltd and Discovery Partners International, Inc. today announced that the two companies have signed a three-year collaborative agreement whereby Actelion will procure drug discovery capabilities from Discovery Partners International. No financial details of the agreement were disclosed.
Jean-Paul Clozel, MD and Chief Executive Officer of Actelion commented, "At the Company's founding in late 1997, Actelion immediately started a significant research effort to ensure long-term growth through innovation. Collaborating with Discovery Partners International and their highly qualified staff allows us to gradually increase our already substantive drug discovery efforts."
Riccardo Pigliucci, Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Partners International said, "As a leader in this field, Discovery Partners has established a critical mass of capabilities to support a number of Actelion's specific drug discovery needs. This collaboration provides Actelion with complementary resources and abilities, which can be utilized in a flexible manner on multiple discovery programs."
Several of Actelion's Drug Discovery projects are in an advanced stage. The projects, which are based on two molecular platforms (G-protein-coupled receptors and aspartyl proteases), have the potential to satisfy important unmet medical needs in cardiovascular, central nervous system and oncology indications. Actelion is in the process of adding new, early stage projects to its portfolio, which features three advanced projects in the areas of renin inhibition, beta-secretase (BACE) inhibition and orexin antagonism. Recently, the company started human testing of the first urotensin II receptor antagonist.
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