OSI licenses its key DPP-4 patents to B-MS

The USA's OSI Pharmaceuticals says that its diabetes and obesity subsidiary, Prosidion, has granted drug major Bristol-Myers Squibb a worldwide non-exclusive license under its dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor patent portfolio for the development and commercialization of these compounds in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and related indications. OSI will receive an upfront payment, as well as potential future milestone and royalty payments. Financial terms were not disclosed.

OSI's DPP-4 patents, which are the subject of the license, include issued patents and pending applications corresponding to WO 97/40832, WO 99/38501, WO 01/72290, WO03/015775 and WO 04/017989, with claims covering DPP-4 as a target for antidiabetes therapy and the use of combinations of DPP-4 inhibitors with other antidiabetic drugs such as metformin. Saxagliptin, an investigational compound currently in Phase III development by B-MS for type 2 diabetes, is included within the scope of this license.