Arno Therapeutics Completes License Agreements for the Exclusive Rights to Targeted Cancer Compounds
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Arno Therapeutics, Inc. has announced that it has entered into worldwide, exclusive license agreements with The Ohio State University (OSU) for the rights to commercially develop orally available, targeted therapies for cancer.
Pursuant to the license agreements, Arno acquired the rights to several small molecules for the treatment of cancer, including OSU-03012 (NSC D728209) and OSU-HDAC42 (NSC D736012). Both agents were developed by Ching-Shih Chen, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacy and internal medicine at Ohio State and a researcher in OSU's Comprehensive Cancer Center.
OSU-03012 is a PDK-1 inhibitor that targets the Akt pathway, and also possesses activity in alternate pathways to target apoptosis and angiogenesis. Preclinical data have demonstrated activity in multiple tumor types and synergistic activity with other agents including Avastin®, Herceptin®, Tarceva®, Gleevec® and tamoxifen.
OSU-HDAC42 is a broad spectrum histone-deacetylase inhibitor which possesses additional mechanisms as well. In preclinical studies OSU-HDAC42 has demonstrated potency and a competitive profile in solid and liquid tumors when compared with vorinostat (SAHA), a compound in the class.
"We are extremely pleased to be developing these two exciting and novel molecules for the treatment of cancer patients," said Scott Z. Fields, M.D., President and CMO of Arno. "We look forward to moving these molecules into the clinic and to hopefully bringing their benefits to patients who need them as soon as possible."
"The out-licensing of these two very important molecularly targeted oncology compounds to Arno Therapeutics is a significant milestone for Ohio State," said Dr. Michael Caligiuri, director of the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and CEO of The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. "These are the first two molecules for cancer treatment created entirely at OSU that will be brought into the cancer clinic."
Pursuant to the terms of the license agreement, Arno will pay development based milestones and royalties based on sales of the licensed products.
