Aratana Therapeutics, a pet therapeutics company focussed on licencing, developing and commercialising innovative bio-pharmaceutical products for companion animals, and Atopix Therapeutics Ltd., a clinical stage company focussed on innovative oral therapeutics for allergic diseases, announced the completion of a global licencing agreement for the development and commercialisation of a novel oral CRTH2 antagonist for animal health indications.  

The decision to enter into this licencing agreement, which was previously announced, was based on favourable results from early de-risking studies performed under the now-completed option agreement between the two companies. Under the licence agreement, Aratana agreed to develop and seek approval for the use of the product in atopic dermatitis, focusing initially on developing the product for dogs.

CRTH2 is a G protein-coupled receptor expressed selectively by key cells that mediate allergic responses that has been shown to play an important role in both allergic sensitisation and effector responses to allergen.  CRTH2 antagonists block mast cell-dependent activation of Th2 lymphocytes, basophils and eosinophils, interrupting an important immune pathway.  Studies in models of allergic dermatitis have demonstrated that CRTH2 antagonists reduce accumulation of leukocytes, tissue swelling and production of cytokines, chemokines and IgE.

Atopix is currently evaluating its lead once-daily oral candidate (known as OC459) in a human phase 2 study in moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, and is supporting a registration study of OC459 in patients with eosinophilic asthma in Russia. Aratana plans to conduct a dose-ranging pilot study in client-owned dogs in atopic dermatitis.

Steven St. Peter, M.D., chief executive officer of Aratana Therapeutics, stated, "We believe this product fits nicely into our portfolio of companion animal therapeutics.  We continue to be committed to developing products that target the underlying cause of the disease rather than just the symptoms."

Tim Edwards, executive chairman of Atopix Therapeutics, stated, "Given the Aratana team's combined decades of veterinary drug development experience, we believe Aratana is the ideal partner for maximising the value of this compound in the companion animal health market. We will continue to maximise the value of our CRTH2 antagonists in the field of human health through other collaborations."

In exchange for an exclusive, world-wide licence to all non-human animal health applications, Aratana made a one-time payment to Atopix of $1 million at signing and agreed to pay additional milestone payments upon the achievement of certain regulatory milestones as well as royalties on sales, as previously announced.