Roche Announces MS Partnership With Inception And Versant
Swiss based multinational drug producer Roche has announced that it will be partnering with both Inception and Versant in order to develop new drugs for patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, or MS.
The research project with Inception and Versant has been named Inception 5. The Inception 5 team will start researching various molecular targets for remyelination by using targets that have already been identified. The purpose is to create a remyelination screening platform. If a lead compound is filed as an investigational new drug, Roche has the first option to buy the partnership. Versant will be providing equity financing to the project, but the direct amount was undisclosed. Roche will provide funding based on milestone achievements during research.
Luca Santarelli, the Global Head of Neuroscience at Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, commented on the new agreement. “With Inception 5, we look forward to further unraveling the biological basis of nerve myelination and target-repair mechanisms in multiple sclerosis,” said Santarelli. “To tap into an area that has recently seen significant advances, we will partner with world-class scientists, entrepreneurs and investors in the context of our newly established model for externalized drug discovery.”
Roche has been working to increase the diversity of its drug pipeline. In particular, the firm has set its sights on researching drugs outside of cancer treatments. Roche has recently looked into developing therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and MS. Roche is also said to be investigating other neurological disorders for potential treatments. The company currently has 12 neurological investigational medicines in clinical development, and the company says that it is investing heavily in neurological treatments.
MS is estimated to affect 400,000 people in the U.S., and patients present with a variety of symptoms , including loss of balance, paralysis, fatigue, and blurred vision.