A global strategic alliance has been formed by Ipsen and Syntaxin, a biotechnology company specialising in innovative biopharmaceutical therapies targeting cell secretion pathways, to explore the discovery and development of new compounds in the field of botulinum toxins.

Syntaxin is expected to be responsible for the  discovery of new therapeutic candidates and Ipsen will  apply  its  skills  to pharmacological, preclinical and clinical assessments of the  newly discovered compounds.

As per the pact, Syntaxin is eligible to receive  a technology access fee, full time  employee support  and  research milestones amounting  up to  US$ 9 million in the first three years. Syntaxin may also receive additional license fees, development and  regulatory  milestones  and  potentially over US$90 million  of commercial milestones together with  royalties on net sales.  Ipsen will  have exclusive worldwide development and commercialisation rights to the programmes discovered within the scope of the collaboration.

This  development  collaboration follows Ipsen’s strategic investment in Syntaxin during the Company’s Series C financing round completed in November 2010 and is the second collaboration between the two companies. Ipsen owns 0.8% ordinary shares of Syntaxin and 8.9% preferred shares on a fully-diluted basis.

Dr  Melanie Lee, chief executive officer of Syntaxin, said: “We have worked closely with  Ipsen over the last 12 months and we are delighted to sign a  second  strategic agreement with  Ipsen whereby both companies will combine their knowledge and skill in botulinum toxin biology to explore the development of compounds in areas of shared  therapeutic interest. This collaboration is validation of Syntaxin’s dual-approach strategy to maximise the potential of its expertise and experience in botulinum toxins in addition to its Targeted Secretion Inhibitors platform technology.”  

Claude Bertrand, Ipsen’s executive vice president, R&D and chief scientific officer, said:  “We are  delighted to  reinforce our  collaboration with Syntaxin, an expert  company in the field of botulinum toxins. In line with the strategy announced in June, Ipsen is investing to remain on the cutting edge of innovation in the botulinum toxin space. Syntaxin and Ipsen, through  their synergistic expertise,  are well  positioned  to  become pioneers in the development and commercialization of new botulinum toxins.”

Syntaxin discovers and develops a new class of biopharmaceuticals, Targeted  Secretion Inhibitors (TSI), which treat disease through selective inhibition of cell secretory pathways. It is developing cell secretion inhibitors for the treatment of a range of  diseases, including endocrine, oncology, sensory and respiratory. In addition, Syntaxin is applying its expertise in botulinum toxin biology to identify new therapeutic opportunities.


Syntaxin was founded in late 2005, through a spinout of intellectual property and scientists from the Health Protection Agency and has  an internationally recognised depth of experience in botulinum neurotoxin biology.

Syntaxin’s TSI products are biological molecules synthesized in microbial cell culture, which selectively bind to their chosen targeted cells and become internalised to deliver endopeptidases into the cell’s cytoplasm, preventing further vesicular secretion. A single dose provides an extended duration of action from weeks to months.

Ipsen is a global specialty-driven pharmaceutical company with total sales exceeding €1.1 billion in 2010. Ipsen’s ambition is to become a leader in specialty healthcare solutions for targeted debilitating diseases.