Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd has announced that its partner Eli Lilly has suspended further clinical development for GRC 6211 in Osteoarthritis pain. Glenmark and Lilly are currently in discussions on the way forward. Under the terms of the agreement signed in Oct'07, Lilly had acquired the rights to a portfolio of transient receptor potential vanilloid sub-family 1 (TRPV1) antagonist molecules, including GRC 6211 which was in early clinical phase-II development at the time. The collaboration between Glenmark and Lilly covers all TRPV1 antagonist molecules discovered by either company.
TRPV1 is a member of the TRPV family of ion channel proteins. It is expressed in human pain pathways and in sensory neurons that mediate nociceptive signaling. Research on TRPV1 supports the potential for antagonists of this ion channel to be effective in various pain conditions. The goal of the partnership is to advance GRC 6211 and other promising drug candidates to ultimately provide novel therapies for painful conditions and other diseases and disorders.