Alantos licenses DPP-4 drug to Servier

Privately-held US drugmaker Alantos Pharmaceuticals has licensed its lead compound, ALS 2-0426, an orally-active, small-molecule inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 exclusively to leading French independent pharmaceutical company Servier. In preclinical studies, the potential type 2 diabetes drug, currently in Phase I trials, has shown significant advantages in efficacy and safety compared with other DPP-4 inhibitors in development. Under the terms of the deal, Servier has exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the agent worldwide, except the USA, though the two companies will work together on a common joint global development plan through the end of Phase II. Alantos will receive upfront and potential milestone payments of approximately $75.0 million plus double-digit royalties, as well as funding for all development through Phase II, and then will assume the costs related to further development of the compound outside of the USA.