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Heptares Therapeutics Ltd.. (3/13/17). "Press Release: Heptares Enters Agreement with Daiichi Sankyo to Discover and Develop Novel, Small Molecules for the Treatment of Pain". London.

	Organisation	Heptares Therapeutics Ltd. (Sosei Heptares)
	Group	Sosei (Group)
	Organisation 2	Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4568.JP)
	Product	drug discovery
	Product 2	pain drug
	Index term	Daiichi Sankyo–Sosei: drug discovery, 201703– collab RnD small-molecular pain drugs $4m upfront + $8m research funding + milestones/royalties Heptares
	Person	Weir, Malcolm (Heptares 2007– CEO + co-founder before Inpharmatica 2000–2006 CEO before GSK/Glaxo since 1983)

Heptares Therapeutics (“Heptares”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sosei Group Corporation (“Sosei”; TSE Mothers Index: 4565) announces that it has entered into a drug discovery and licensing agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (“Daiichi Sankyo”) focused on a single G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) nominated by Daiichi Sankyo that plays a crucial role in relieving pain.

Under the terms of the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will receive exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize novel, small molecules discovered by Heptares focused on the nominated GPCR. In return, Heptares will receive an upfront payment of $4 million, research funding of approximately $8 million, and is eligible to receive additional research, development and commercialization milestone payments. In addition, Heptares will be eligible to receive royalties on net sales of products resulting from the alliance.

“This is a very exciting new collaboration as relieving pain presents a significant challenge,” said Malcolm Weir, Heptares CEO and Chief R&D Officer of Sosei. “We are confident that the unique structural insights of the receptor that our technologies can deliver combined with expertise on its role in pain from the Neurosciences team at Daiichi Sankyo will yield new, differentiated molecules that can be advanced into development.”

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About Daiichi Sankyo

Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical products to address diversified, unmet medical needs of patients in both mature and emerging markets. With over 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 16,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong portfolio of medicines for hypertension and thrombotic disorders, under the Group’s 2025 Vision to become a “Global Pharma Innovator with a Competitive Advantage in Oncology,” Daiichi Sankyo research and development is primarily focused on bringing forth novel therapies in oncology, including immuno-oncology, with additional focus on new horizon areas, such as pain management, neurodegenerative diseases, heart and kidney diseases, and other rare diseases. For more information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com. Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group. For more information on Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., please visit: www.dsi.com.

Record changed: 2023-06-05