Simcere to Develop OSI Pharmaceutical Cancer Drug in China

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group (SCR) has acquired the China rights to a dual-mechanism cancer drug from OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OSIP). Simcere must first obtain regulatory approval for OSI-930, and then it will produce and market the drug in China. In the US, OSI-930 has completed a Phase I trial. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

OSI-930 is an orally active inhibitor of two validated targets: c-Kit and the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2). The drug’s mechanism targets both cancer cell proliferation and blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) in solid tumors.

OSI reports that OSI-930 was effective in preclinical studies in tumor models of small cell lung cancer, glioblastoma, colorectal, renal, head and neck, non-small cell lung cancer and gastric cancers. OSI Pharma has completed a Phase I dose escalation study of OSI-930 in healthy volunteers. A Phase I single agent dose escalation study in cancer patients resulted in a recommended Phase II dose, and a Phase Ib dose escalation study with erlotinib (Tarceva, which was developed jointly by Genentech and OSI Pharma) has identified a recommended dose for the combination.

OSI said that it chose to affiliate with Simcere on the drug because of Simcere’s experience with cancer drugs. Five out of Simcere’s 45 marketed pharmaceutical products treat cancer. These include recombinant human endostatin injection, nedaplatin injection, lentinan injection and fluorouracil implants.

“We believe this is a groundbreaking agreement that will become a model for future R&D cooperation between Chinese and foreign pharmaceutical companies," said Mr. Jinsheng Ren, Chairman and CEO of Simcere in a statement.

See our other articles on Simcere.

Disclosure: none.

Comments

[Senan:]

I think this is a good bet pharma. Tap into China. Good bottom line financials.

Oct 23 05:57 PM