Under the terms of the agreement, X-Chem will utilize its DEX screening platform, which takes advantage of advanced DEX library designs and proprietary informatics tools, to search for novel drug-like leads for human disease related targets identified by Maruho. X-Chem’s DEX libraries enable fast and efficient screening of vast areas of drug-like chemical space, and the collaboration will help support Maruho’s continued global growth. Maruho will be responsible for conducting clinical trials with licensed drug candidates, and has the exclusive global rights to commercialize any products resulting from the collaboration.
X-Chem received an upfront payment from Maruho upon the signing of the agreement, and is eligible for future payments based on the achievement of pre-defined research, development, and regulatory milestones. X-Chem could additionally receive royalties on sales of products identified under the collaboration.
“X-Chem is very pleased that Maruho, a dermatology leader, has chosen to join our group of highly regarded partners in Japan. This is X-Chem’s 5th partnership in Japan, and is a clear result of the strong record of success that X-Chem has achieved over the past decade of drug discovery partnerships focused on challenging targets. The end result of these partnerships is well over 50 licensed programs to date,” said Rick Wagner, president and CEO of X-Chem. “This partnership with Maruho demonstrates that X-Chem can customize our business models to suit the needs of a wide variety of pharma and biotech companies, so as to enable the discovery of novel chemical equity with the goal of helping patients worldwide.”
Source: Company Press Release