Roche and deCODE Announce Collaboration to Co-Develop PDE4 Inhibitors for Vascular Diseases

24-Nov-2004

deCODE genetics and Roche announced the Formation of a three-year collaboration to develop and commercialize phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors for the prevention and treatment of vascular disease, including stroke. Under the terms of the alliance, deCODE will use its structure-based drug design capabilities to optimize lead compounds and begin development. The companies will share drug discovery and clinical trials costs, and deCODE may receive milestone payments and royalties based on drug sales.

"This collaboration builds directly upon the results that have come out of our long and fruitful partnership with Roche. We are very excited by the opportunity to apply our structure-based drug design and chemistry capabilities to take yet another of our gene discoveries into clinical development," said Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE.

"We are happy to move this from collaborative genetically-driven target discovery activities to the next phase of drug research," adds Jonathan Knowles, President of Global Research at Roche. "This is a good example of modern patient-focused pharmaceutical R&D, which is based increasingly on a fundamental understanding of molecular pathology made accessible through genetics, genomics, and associated disciplines."

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