Amarin licenses multiple sclerosis fatigue drug to Multicell

By Angela McDaniels

Seattle, Jan. 3 - Multicell Technologies Inc. has been granted exclusive, worldwide rights to LAX-202 by Amarin Corp. plc for the treatment of fatigue in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, according to a company news release.

Multicell said it will rename the drug MCT-125 and further evaluate it in a pivotal phase 2b/3 clinical trial expected to begin before the end of the 2006.

If MCT-125 is approved and successfully commercialized, it could generate up to $3 billion in worldwide sales while under patent protection, Multicell estimated. Amarin could receive up to $275 million in milestone payments and cumulative royalty payments during the same period.

In a 138-patient, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1b clinical trial conducted in the United Kingdom by Amarin, LAX-202 demonstrated efficacy in significantly reducing the levels of fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients, the companies said.

LAX-202 was effective within four weeks of the first daily oral dosing, showed efficacy in all patient sub-populations, including relapse-remitting, secondary progressive and primary progressive.

Patients enrolled in a phase 2b trial conducted by Amarin also reported few if any side effects following daily oral dosing of LAX-202, according to the release.

"We are excited about in-licensing MCT-125 from Amarin to complement our emerging multiple sclerosis therapeutics program," said Multicell president Stephen Chang in the release.

"MCT-125 targets the fatigue symptom while MCT-175, our internally developed humanized antibody therapeutic, is for treatment of the underlying cause of multiple sclerosis. As we undertake additional clinical studies, we are optimistic MCT-125 will continue to demonstrate efficacy for the treatment of fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients."

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which immune cells destroy the myelin sheath protecting neurons in the brain and spinal cord. More than 75% of the 2 million people worldwide with the disease report having fatigue, and 50% to 60% report fatigue as the worst symptom of their disease, the companies said.

Amarin is a neuroscience company based in London that researches, develops and commercializes drugs for the treatment of central nervous system disorders.

Multicell is based in Lincoln, R.I., and develops therapeutic products and supplies immortalized human cell lines for drug discovery applications.

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