BB And SynPhar Collaborate On CPIs

- British Biotech and SynPhar Laboratories of Canada have signed athree-year agreement to design and synthesize cysteine proteinase inhibitors, a class of drugs which, says BB, is complementary to matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, of which BB's anticancer drug marimastat is one. Cysteine proteinase overactivity has been associated with a wide range of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and cancer, says the company. BB acquires the rights to develop SynPhar's CPIs for all indications and has also gained worldwide marketing rights to the drugs. SynPhar retains rights for co-marketing in Japan and co-promotion in Canada. No financial details have been disclosed.