Japan based Shionogi and US based Apnimed, Inc. have agreed to establish a joint venture (JV) company, Shionogi-Apnimed Sleep Science, LLC, with the aim of solving challenges in sleep disorders.

Shionogi-Apnimed Sleep Science, LLC, combines Shionogi’s capabilities in small molecule drug discovery and proven ability to create best-in-class compounds) with Apnimed’s intensive knowledge of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and exceptional translational medicine capabilities, including highly experienced clinical-stage drug development team and robust network of sleep medicine clinical sites.

The JV will seek to create promising solutions for OSA faster than either company could alone. It is owned equally by Shionogi and Apnimed. Apnimed’s most advanced development programmes, AD109 (now in Phase 3 trials) and AD504 (in Phase 2 trials) are not included in the joint venture.

Shionogi set forth commitment to “Contribute to a healthy and prosperous life” in the revision of mid-term business plan STS2030. As part of that effort, the firm is advancing R&D for diseases with a significant impact on Quality of Life (QoL) which remain unresolved and are predicted to have even greater impact in the future due to the ageing population, with commensurately high social impact.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a serious sleep disorder, is one of these diseases. It is estimated to affect more than 45 million Americans and hundreds of millions more around the world. It has been suggested that OSA may lead to or worsen other chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, and also to impair work productivity.