BioWorld International Correspondent

PARIS - NicOx SA and Merck & Co. Inc. signed an exclusive worldwide agreement for collaborating on antihypertensive drugs using the French company’s proprietary nitric oxide-donating technology.

The conclusion of the deal follows the completion of a research collaboration between the companies, which generated "promising results."

Under the terms of the agreement, NicOx, of Sophia-Antipolis, France, will receive an up-front payment of €9.2 million and is eligible for potential further milestone payments of €279 million (US$340.2 million).

NicOx has the option to co-promote products to specialist physicians, such as cardiologists, in the U.S. and certain major European countries on a fee-for-detail basis. In addition, Merck, of Whitehouse Station, N.J., would pay NicOx industry-standard royalties.

The agreement covers nitric oxide-donating derivatives of several major classes of antihypertensive agents for the treatment of high blood pressure, complications of hypertension, and other cardiovascular and related disorders. Merck has the exclusive right to develop and commercialize antihypertensives that use NicOx’s nitric oxide-donating technology for systemic hypertension.

NicOx will continue to be involved in the new research program, which will be focused on identifying lead candidates for development, while Merck will fund and manage all preclinical and clinical development activities following selection of lead compounds.

NicOx said the joint research already carried out by the companies showed that nitric oxide donation can improve the efficacy of antihypertensive agents with in vivo models. It demonstrated that a prototype NO-donating antihypertensive compound was more effective in lowering blood pressure than its parent reference drug in established models of hypertension.

Early findings from studies of another antihypertensive class also are said to be promising, and Merck and NicOx now will concentrate on identifying candidates for development.

The deal follows on the one NicOx concluded earlier this month with Pfizer Inc., of New York, for ophthalmic drugs, which could be worth up to $400 million to the French company.

Commenting on the agreement with Merck, the Chairman and CEO of NicOx, Michele Garufi, said that the "option to co-promote resulting products alongside Merck, which has long held one of the leading cardiovascular franchises in the industry, is central to NicOx’s strategy. We intend to leverage this opportunity to support our transformation into a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company."