Pharmacopeia receives milestone from Wyeth

USA-based Pharmacopeia, an innovator in the discovery and development of novel, small-molecule therapeutics, has received a milestone payment from Wyeth for progress made in identifying a systemically administered inhibitor of JAK3 kinase for the treatment of immunological and inflammatory diseases.

JAK3 is selectively expressed in certain hematopoietic cells and is involved in T-cell activation. The inhibition of JAK3 kinase has been shown to modulate disease outcomes in both preclinical animal models and clinical studies, says the firm. Potential indications for an inhibitor of JAK3 include rheumatoid arthritis, transplantation and psoriasis.

In 2006, Pharmacopeia licensed certain rights to its JAK3 program to Wyeth under a research and license agreement. Under the deal, each company has the exclusive right to develop and commercialize products resulting from the collaboration. Pharmacopeia retains the exclusive right to develop and commercialize therapeutic products for the treatment of dermatological and ocular diseases via topical administration, and Wyeth gains those for all other indications and routes of delivery. Pharmacopeia receives research funding and is eligible to get additional payments upon Wyeth's achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercialization milestones, as well as royalties on the net sales of any products commercialized by the drug major under the collaboration.