Sun Pharmaceuticals Inc, a subsidiary of Sun Pharma, on Wednesday announced that it has entered a licensing agreement with US-based Aclaris Therapeutics Inc., the company announced in a regulatory filing.
Aclaris Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel drugs for immuno-inflammatory diseases.
Under the agreement, Aclaris granted Sun Pharma exclusive rights under certain patents for the use of deuruxolitinib, Sun Pharma’s JAK inhibitor, or other isotopic forms of ruxolitinib, to treat alopecia areata (AA) or androgenetic alopecia (AGA).
“The agreement includes an upfront payment of $15 million, regulatory and commercial milestones, and royalties,” the company said.
Deuruxolitinib is an investigational oral selective inhibitor of janus kinases (receptor neurons) JAK1 and JAK2, for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe alopecia areata.
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Alopecia Areata (AA) is a common autoimmune disorder that can lead to unexpected hair loss. In AA, the immune system attacks hair follicles, resulting in partial or complete loss of hair on the scalp or body. It is classified as a genetic disorder, which can affect anyone irrespective of gender, age, or race.
There is currently no cure for alopecia areata, although some forms of treatment are prescribed by doctors to help hair re-grow more quickly. These include injectable or oral intake of powerful anti-inflammatory drugs that can suppress the immune system attacks on hair follicles.
In October 2023, Sun Pharma had announced the acceptance of its New Drug Application (NDA) filing for deuruxolitinib by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). In its application, Sun Pharma had submitted an 8 mg twice a day regimen of deuruxolitinib for USFDA review.
On Wednesday, shares of Sun Pharma were down by 0.01 per cent, ending the day's trade at Rs 1,139.95 apiece on the BSE.