Kaken Pharmaceutical invests in Numab drug

Numab Therapeutics from the Greater Zurich Area has concluded an agreement with Kaken Pharmaceutical. According to a press release, Kaken Pharmaceutical will co-finance development of Numab’s drug NM26-2198. The aim is for this drug to be used to treat atopic eczema, a chronic, non-contagious skin disease. The agreement builds on a collaboration between the companies already agreed back in 2017.

Specifically, Kaken Pharmaceutical will take on the costs of global preclinical and early clinical studies until clinical proof of concept. The Japanese company will also support Numab with expertise. In return, Kaken Pharmaceutical will receive the right to market the drug in Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Numab Therapeutics will market the drug in all other markets worldwide. At the same time, Numab will pay Kaken Pharmaceutical back a certain proportion of the research and development costs upon successful marketing of the product.

David Urech, Founder and CEO of Numab, is quoted in the press release, saying: “Today’s news puts our second proprietary key pipeline asset NM26-2198 on a very promising path for value generation and accelerated global development.” The Wädenswil-based company has also agreed on a similar collaboration with CStone Pharmaceutical for its potential cancer drug, NM21-1480.