Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. (Biohaven) announced it has acquired the rights from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, to develop and commercialize certain glutamate modulating agents in the treatment of cancer.

Research at Rutgers and elsewhere has established a role of glutamate receptor signaling in the growth and spread of multiple tumor types (including melanoma skin cancer, glioma, breast cancer, and prostate cancer), indicating that genes encoding for glutamate receptors can function as oncogenes. Glutamine, an essential amino acid, has also been demonstrated to play a central role in tumor cell metabolism. A variety of solid malignancies have been shown to overexpress enzymes that convert glutamine to glutamate, further emphasizing the role of the glutamate in some cancers. Additionally, preclinical studies show that modulating glutamate receptors may prevent tumor growth and render tumors more sensitive to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This suggests that the combination of glutamate modulating agents with conventional treatments or emerging immunotherapies may enhance patient outcomes.

Dr. Vlad Coric, M.D., CEO at Biohaven commented, "We are very pleased to be able to expand our strategic partnerships and enter into this license agreement with Rutgers. Biohaven continues to follow the science of glutamate modulation across therapeutic indications, and will also collaborate with investigators at Rutgers to pursue clinical studies with our portfolio of glutamate modulators as adjunctive treatment in patients suffering from melanoma. We are committed to the research and development of innovative medicines that will benefit patients with serious diseases."

The license agreement between Rutgers and Biohaven represents the culmination of several years of collaborative work between a basic scientist, Dr. Suzie Chen at Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers and a surgeon, Dr. James Goydos who is the Melanoma Program Section Chief at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. The work between Drs. Chen and Goydos advanced results from preclinical laboratory-based studies and translated those findings into the clinic to pursue better treatments for patients.

Dr. Robert Berman, M.D., chief medical officer at Biohaven, commented "The line of investigation from Rutgers University researchers Drs. Suzie Chen and Jim Goydos has presented a compelling mechanistic rationale to assess Biohaven's portfolio of glutamate modulators in the treatment of melanoma. We are excited to build on their work and advance our compounds for clinical testing in the treatment of cancer."

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer characterized by the uncontrolled growth of pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) located in the skin. Metastatic melanoma is the deadliest form of the disease, and occurs when cancer spreads beyond the surface of the skin to the other organs, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, brain or other areas of the body. Melanoma is mostly curable when treated in its early stages. However, in its late stages, the average five-year survival rate is 15% - 20%.