DePuy Inc, a Johnson & Johnson company, reported that its subsidiary, DePuy AcroMed Inc, has licensed a broad bone morphogenic protein (BMP) technology portfolio from Biopharm, GmbH, of Heidelberg, Germany. As a broad-based orthopaedic franchise, the DePuy companies will pursue development of BMP across all musculoskeletal fields, including the areas of bone, cartilage and soft tissue repair. Future products will be designed to address clinical needs in spine, trauma, joint reconstruction and sports medicine.

This exclusive worldwide licensing transaction covers Biopharm's proprietary BMP compounds based on MP52, which has been studied in a variety of animal and human settings as a potential treatment for injuries or disease of the musculoskeletal system. The license for MP52 and its derivatives includes all current and future applications in musculoskeletal tissue repair with additional rights in other strategic fields. Use of MP52 in dental and maxillofacial indications is the subject of agreements between Biopharm and other parties, and not included in the DePuy agreement. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Bone grafting, cartilage regeneration, and meniscal repair are among areas already under investigation by the DePuy franchise and Biopharm. The collaboration for product development will combine the recombinant MP52 growth factor or derivatives with proprietary bio-engineered scaffolds from DePuy and other affiliate companies of Johnson & Johnson.