4AZA, Gilead sign agreement to research, develop compounds to treat hepatitis C

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, Nov. 30 - 4AZA Bioscience NV announced Wednesday that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences to research and develop compounds for the potential treatment of hepatitis C virus infection.

Under the terms of the agreement, 4AZA will grant to Gilead an exclusive, worldwide license for the research, development and commercialization of certain novel compounds for the potential prevention and treatment of hepatitis C, according to a company news release.

Gilead will pay an upfront licensing fee and make an equity investment in 4AZA, officials said.

4AZA also will receive milestone payments based on the achievement of certain development and regulatory goals, should one or more compounds be advanced into clinical development, and a royalty of net sales of any marketed product resulting from the collaboration, officials said.

Gilead also will provide funding to 4AZA to support research staff to synthesize new compounds that may have potential activity against hepatitis C.

4AZA will retain rights to develop and commercialize certain compounds evaluated under the companies' agreement for other indications, officials said.

"The compounds discovered by 4AZA represent a new class of compounds with the potential of inhibiting [hepatitis C virus] replication by a novel mechanism," said William Lee, Gilead's senior vice president of research, in the release.

4AZA, based in Leuven, Belgium, is a drug discovery and development company focusing on immunomodulatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and immunosuppression for solid organ transplantation patients.

Gilead Sciences, in Foster City, Calif., is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative therapeutics in areas of unmet medical need.

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