Against NASH cirrhosis and fibrosis

Conatus announces exclusive worldwide option, collaboration and license agreement covering development and commercialization of emricasan

DDNews Staff
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SAN DIEGO—Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. has forged an exclusive option, collaboration and license agreement for the global development and commercialization of its first-in-class, orally active pan-caspase inhibitor emricasan with Novartis. The deal terms call for Conatus to receive $50 million upfront and be eligible to receive $7 million following the exercise of the license option. Conatus can borrow up to $15 million in the form of convertible promissory notes under an investment agreement with Novartis.
 
Conatus is also eligible to receive significant payments if certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones are met, as well as tiered double-digit royalties on emricasan single-agent sales and tiered single- to double-digit royalties on sales of combination products containing emricasan. Conatus has the option to co-commercialize emricasan in the United States, including combination therapies, on a cost-sharing and revenue-sharing basis in lieu of U.S. royalties and with reduced ex-U.S. royalties. Conatus retains limited rights to develop other pan-caspase inhibitors.
 
In addition, Novartis will pay half of Conatus’ Phase 2b emricasan development costs after the option exercise, including the planned ENCORE-LF trial in decompensated NASH cirrhosis which, under the current development plan consistent with recent regulatory agency recommendations, will be conducted as Phase 2b rather than Phase 2b/3. Phase 2b emricasan development costs also encompass the ongoing ENCORE-PH trial in primarily compensated NASH cirrhosis, POLT-HCV-SVR trial in post-transplant HCV fibrosis and cirrhosis, and ENCORE-NF trial in NASH fibrosis. Novartis will assume full responsibility for emricasan’s Phase 3 development and all combination product development.
 
“We believe Novartis is ideally suited to collaborate with Conatus in the further development of emricasan for chronic liver diseases,” said Dr. Steven J. Mento, Conatus’ co-founder, president and CEO. “This collaboration validates the Conatus emphasis on the initial development of emricasan as a single agent treatment for NASH cirrhosis in both compensated and decompensated patients, and sets the stage for simultaneous development of oral combination therapies for the treatment of NASH fibrosis including emricasan and one of the Novartis internal FXR (Farnesoid X receptor) agonists in clinical development. Their strong commitment to and expertise in liver disease, and proven record of success in drug development provide our best opportunity to deliver these potentially groundbreaking new therapies to chronic liver disease patients with high unmet medical need.”
 
“For Conatus, the near-term infusion of capital and Phase 2b cost-sharing allows us to fund ongoing operations through 2019. In addition, with the Novartis commitment to fund Phase 3 single agent emricasan development and all combination development activities, the resources are in place to complete emricasan development both as a single agent for NASH cirrhosis and as a single agent or part of a combination therapy for NASH fibrosis,” added Mento. “The option to co-commercialize in the United States preserves future flexibility for Conatus, and the ability to continue pursuing independent development of other compounds affords us the opportunity to build a portfolio of potential products to drive further long-term value for our shareholders.”
 
To date, emricasan has been studied in over 650 subjects in sixteen clinical trials across a broad range of liver disease etiologies and stages of progression. In multiple clinical trials, emricasan has demonstrated statistically significant, rapid and sustained reductions in elevated levels of key biomarkers of inflammation and apoptosis that are implicated in the severity and progression of liver disease. Recent emricasan clinical trial results have demonstrated emricasan’s ability to provide statistically significant improvements in clinically important validated surrogate endpoints of portal hypertension and liver function across a variety of etiologies in the subgroups of liver cirrhosis patients with highest medical need. The parallel EmricasaN, a Caspase inhibitOR, for Evaluation (ENCORE) clinical trials are designed to provide clinically relevant efficacy, dosing, and safety data from chronic administration in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis and fibrosis to support the design of Phase 3 efficacy and safety trials in these indications.
 
Conatus expects top-line results from its ongoing and planned clinical trials to be available periodically beginning in the first half of 2018.

DDNews Staff

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