Takeda Pharmaceutical has formed a global collaboration with Ovid Therapeutics, a privately held New York-based biopharmaceutical company specializing in therapeutics for rare neurological diseases, for the clinical development and commercialization of Takeda’s investigational drug, TAK-935, a cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CH24H) inhibitor for treating rare pediatric epilepsies.

Under the agreement, Takeda received equity in Ovid and may be eligible to receive certain milestone payments based on the advancement of TAK-935. The companies will share in the development and commercialization costs on a 50/50 basis and, if successful, the companies will share in the profits on a 50/50 basis. Takeda will lead commercialization in Japan, and has the option to lead in Asia and other selected geographies. Ovid will lead clinical development activities and commercialization of TAK-935 in the US, Europe, Canada, and Israel.

All activities of the collaboration regarding TAK-935 will be guided by an integrated and interdisciplinary team from both companies focused on advancing TAK-935 across rare epilepsy syndromes. If mutually agreed, additional orphan central nervous system indications may also be pursued.

TAK-935 is an inhibitor of the CH24H enzyme, which is predominantly expressed in the brain where it plays a central role in cholesterol homeostasis, according to Takeda. Takeda has completed Phase I clinical studies and will be moving TAK-935 into Phase Ib/IIa clinical studies in rare epileptic encephalopathies.

Source: Takeda Pharmaceutical