C4X entered into a licensing deal with AstraZeneca to develop an oral treatment for COPD and other inflammatory and respiratory illnesses that could reach $402 million.
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C4X Discovery Holdings and AstraZeneca entered into a licensing deal to develop an oral treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other inflammatory and respiratory illnesses, the companies announced Monday.
The partners will focus on developing C4XD’s NRF2 Activator program with an initial focus on COPD. The agreement could reach $402 million.
Under the terms of the deal, C4XD is eligible for preclinical milestones up to $16 million ahead of entering the clinic and $2 million upfront. C4XD is also up for another $385.8 million in clinical and commercial milestones and tiered mid-single-digit royalties.
Many diseases, including respiratory diseases like COPD, are driven by inflammation. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is believed to be a regulator of cellular resistance to oxidants, controlling the expression of various antioxidant genes. As such, it plays an essential role in how cells defend against external damage and regulate inflammatory responses.
C4XD’s lead compounds in the HRF2 Activator program have shown the ability to activate NRF2 after oral dosing, decreasing inflammation and oxidation activity.
Current treatments for COPD include bronchodilators, such as beta2-agonists and anticholinergics, steroids to decrease inflammation and various combinations of these drugs.
In early November, Boehringer Ingelheim announced the updated 2023 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Report recommended long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) plus long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) as optimal first-line treatment for most patients with COPD. Per the report, LAMA, LABA or LAMA+LABA therapy should be the first treatment for most COPD patients.
Under those guidelines, Boehringer Ingelheim’s Stiolto Respimat was the preferred treatment.
C4XD’s drug discovery program uses enhanced DNA-based target identification. Its Conformetrix allows for “rational, accelerated 4D structural drug design using experimental data rather than theoretical data,” the company stated on its website. This creates more detailed insights into drug molecules’ potential behavior and physical properties.
The deal with AstraZeneca is the most recent in a series of partnerships with Sanofi, Horizon, Indivior, LifeArc and Phoremost.
Clive Dix, Ph.D., CEO of C4XD, noted that the global market for COPD alone is $20 billion and rising, adding that “in AstraZeneca’s hands, with their scientific, technical and commercial expertise, our NRF2 Activator program has the potential to deliver life-changing treatments for the millions of patients suffering with COPD across the world.”
