drugset / Press release

Global Licensing Agreement for Investigational HIV Compound (OBP-601) Wins 2011 Deals of Distinction™ Award

2011-10-20 · Oncolys BioPharma Inc · original oncolys.com ↗

"Global Licensing Agreement for Investigational HIV Compound (OBP-601) Wins 2011 Deals of Distinction TM Award” Tokyo, Japan, October 20, 2011: Oncolys BioPharma I nc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) and Yale University have received a 2011 Deals of Distinction TM Award from the Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada) in recognition of an agreement for the development of an investigational HIV compound. The compound is no w known as BMS-986001/OBP-601, a once-a-day, orally available nucleoside reverse transcriptase i nhibitor (NRTI) in Phase II development. The transaction was selected as winner of the Industry- University-Government Interface (IUGI) category of the Deals of Distinction TM , which annually honor outstanding licensing and in tellectual property-related agreements. Early preclinical studies suggested that the compou nd could have an improved safety profile over previous generations of NRTIs. Oncolys licensed the compound from Yale in 2006 and developed it from pre-clinical to Phase II. In 2010, the Yale-Oncolys license was amended to help pave the way for a sub-license agreement that would enable the continu ed development of the compound by Bristol-Myers Squibb. The agreement is the largest sub-license to date by a Japanese biotechnology company. “It is a great honor for Oncolys, the first Japanese biotech company, to receive such a prestigious Deals of Distinction TM Award. This award is a recognition of hard work an d team effort from all members and parties involved in this transaction, I highly appr eciate everyone's contribution. I have high hopes t o see the compound as a new product treating and helping HIV patients worldwide.” said Yasuo Urata, M.Sc., President and CEO of Oncolys BioPharma. "This agreement was the culmination of an intricate dance between the three parties over various agreements. The negotiations required crossing time zones, as well as cultural, and language boundarie s. The transaction illustrates the integral relationsh ip between academia, biotech, and pharma. The coordination of their respective strengths exemplif ies what the IUGI Sector is really about." said IUG I Sector Chair Cheryl Cejka. “The relationships show how the intellectual capita l discovered in academia, matured in biotech, and transitioned to pharma can be translated into poten tial treatments for millions of people by leveragin g the strengths of each institution,”said David Lewin, Se nior Associate Director of Licensing, Yale Office o f Cooperative Research. “Collaborations between the biopharmaceutical industry and academia are vital to accelerating the discovery and development of potential new therapies. To develop and complete a successful transaction in this arena requires bringing together a large number of different elements of thinking, planning, people and organizations. As part of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s String of Pearls strategy, we are developing the capabilities to knit together these important constituencies. It is this ability which will make us successful in this important arena of innovation.” said Jeremy Levin, D.Phil, MB BChir., senior vice president, Strategy, Alliances and Transactions, Bristol-Myers Squibb. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Note: The Deal of Distinction Distinction TM was announced October 19 at the Licensing Executives Society Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.

The release as fetched from its publisher. oncolys.com ↗