Tokyo, Japan and Cambridge, UK, 24 November 2023 – Sosei Group Corporation (“Sosei Heptares” or “the Company”; TSE: 4565) announces it has initiated discussions with GSK to regain full ownership of GSK4381406, a highly selective first-in-class, oral GPR35 agonist in development under a Global Collaboration and License Agreement with GSK as a potential new treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). GPR35 is an important orphan G protein-coupled receptor (“GPCR”) with an established genetic association to IBD, for which there remains significant unmet need for millions of sufferers worldwide.

GSK4381406 was designed by Sosei Heptares using its proprietary structure-based drug design (SBDD) platform and licensed to GSK in 2020. Since then, Sosei Heptares and GSK have advanced GSK4381406 through a joint development program, generating promising mechanistic, preclinical and safety data suggesting that it may have the potential to improve barrier function and reduce visceral pain in gastrointestinal indications such as ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome.

These data enabled Sosei Heptares and GSK to gain approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) in mid-2023 to enter GSK4381406 into first-in- human studies (NCT05999708).

The Company is to regain full ownership of the GSK4381406 program following a decision by GSK to deprioritize and discontinue its development due to changes to both its immunology research strategy and immunology research leadership. The decision was not based on any scientific, preclinical or safety data related to GSK4381406. Under the terms of the 2020 agreement between the companies, Sosei Heptares has the right – for no upfront payment – to regain full ownership of the GSK4381406 program, together with all associated intellectual property licensed by Sosei Heptares to GSK, and preclinical data generated under the partnership. GSK becomes eligible for a low single digit royalty from Sosei Heptares on net sales of GSK4381406 should it become commercially available.

Source:- Finance yahoo