Nitec licenses tarenflurbil from PAZ

Switzerland-based Nitec Pharma AG, an emerging specialty drug company, has signed an agreement with PAZ GmbH of Germany for the exclusive worldwide rights to tarenflurbil, the latter's anti-inflammatory drug, for the treatment of chronic inflammation and pain. The in-licensing of tarenflurbil broadens Nitec's pipeline and underscores the company's ambition to become a significant player focused on treating unmet medical needs in chronic inflammation and pain. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Tarenflurbil is a novel inhibitor of the transcription regulator NF-kB and the transcription factor AP-1, both of which are important regulators of inflammation. It inhibits the DNA binding activity of both targets reducing inflammation and its associated pain without any detectable effect on COX 1/2 so far. COX inhibition has in recent years been associated with safety concerns when used long term. Potential indications of tarenflurbil include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and related diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis.