Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, a research - based global company, will acquire an exclusive license to develop Natrogen Therapeutics International, Inc's Natura - alpha compound as well as an option to acquire Natrogen.

Natura - alpha is a synthetic small molecule oral compound that is believed to inhibit pro - inflammatory cytokine expression , which may help to reduce gastrointestinal inflammation . Natura - alpha is currently in phase 2 development for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) .

“ Today’s announcement reinforces Takeda’s continued commitment toward addressing the needs of patients with gastrointestinal diseases,” said Asit Parikh,  vice president, general medicine, Takeda. “ Natura - alpha is a strategic fit with our gastrointestinal portfolio, which also includes vedolizumab, Takeda’s investigational monoclonal antibody for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active UC and Crohn’s disease.”

The principal activity of Natrogen Therapeutics International has been to develop Natura - alpha, a small molecule oral compound that has been the subject of a phase 2 clinical trial exploring efficacy and safety in patients with ulcerative colitis.

“Natrogen’s strategy has been to demonstrate the drug’s efficacy and safety in clinical trials and then identify a major pharmaceutical company that has the expertise, commitment and financial resources to complete the regulatory process and bring the drug to market. We found the perfect partner, Takeda, a major research - based company that has a global presence in the area of gastrointestinal disease , ” said Louis Wang,  p resident and chief scientist.

Under the terms of the agreement, Natrogen grants Takeda an exclusive license for worldwide development of Natura - alpha in all indications , and an option to acquire Natrogen . In return, Natrogen will receive an up - front payment and potential future payments upon the exercise of Takeda’s option to acquire Natrogen, including a payment upon closing of the option to acquire Natrogen and potential post - closing contingent payments upon achievement of certain regulatory and sales milestones . Takeda will fund and execute all additional clinical development.

Leerink Swann LLC served as the exclusive financial advisor and Covington & Burling LLP served as the legal advisor for the transaction for Natrogen. Ropes & Gray LLP served as legal advisor for the transaction for Takeda.

Natura - alpha is a synthetic small molecule that is believed to inhibit expression of pro - inflammatory cytokines (Interleukin - 1, Interleukin - 6 and tumour necrosis factor), which can increase inflammation and act to make diseases worse. Natura - alpha is thought to block inflammatory cytokines , while stimulating the production of cytokine IL - 10 that can repress pro - inflammatory responses and limit unnecessary tissue disruptions caused by inflammation..

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are the two most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is marked by inflammation in the GI tract. UC impacts the large intestine only, which includes the colon and the rectum. v The most common symptoms of UC include abdominal discomfort and blood or pus in diarrhoea. CD can impact any part of the digestive tract and common symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fever. vii There is no known cause for UC or CD, although many researchers believe that the interaction between genes, the body’s immune system, and environmental factors may play a role.  The aim of UC and CD treatments is to induce and maintain remission, or achieve extended periods of time when patients do not experience symptoms.

Located in Osaka, Japan, Takeda is a research - based global company with its main focus on pharmaceuticals. As the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan and one of the global leaders of the industry, Takeda is committed to strive towards better health for patients worldwide through leading innovation in medicine. A

Based in New York City, Natrogen Therapeutics International, Inc. is a midstage (through a phase - 2 trial) biotechnology firm that uses cutting edge science to research and develop innovative therapeutics for three classes of diseases: immuno- nflamatory diseases, dermatological conditions and cancer.