Chiroscience Presents Upbeat R&D Outlook

A presentation to pharmaceutical analysts of its product pipeline gave a boost to Chiroscience last week, after it announced that it had signed an agreement in principle with a "leading" pharmaceutical firm for the development and eventual sale of levobupivacaine, a long-acting and highly-potent anesthetic.

The company would not disclose the partner, but noted that a formal announcement would be made at the same time as its interim results meeting in August. In addition, Chiroscience said that it had completed animal tests on its oral matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, suggesting it has activity against cancer and arthritis. The firms newest program, looking at phosphodiesterase IV inhibitors for inflammation and asthma, has made progress. The firm has now completed a series of in vivo studies which demonstrate efficacy and an absence of nausea and vomiting, a key part of Chiroscience's PDE IV strategy.