Singapore: Tokyo based PeptiDream recently announced that it has eneterd into a business collaboration with US-based Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Janssen"), one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.

As per the terms, PeptiDream will use its proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (PDPS) technology to identify macrocyclic/constrained peptides against multiple metabolic and cardiovascular targets of interest selected by Janssen, and to optimize hit peptides into therapeutic peptides or small molecule products.

Janssen will have the right to develop and commercialize all compounds resulting from the collaboration.

In return, PeptiDream would receive an undisclosed upfront payment and research funding and is eligible to receive preclinical, clinical, and commercialization milestone payments potentially totaling up to $1.15 billion. In addition, the company is also eligible to receive royalties on sales of any products that arise from the collaboration.

Mr Kiichi Kubota, CEO and President of PeptiDream said in a statement, "Over the past few years PeptiDream has greatly expanded our ability to turn PDPS-identified peptide candidates into peptide therapeutics, small molecule drugs, and peptide drug conjugates (PDCs), and we greatly look forward to working with a world-renowned organization like Janssen to leverage these capabilities to discover and development the next generation of first-in-class and best-in-class therapeutics."

The deal adds to PeptiDream's growing list of discovery collaborations with pharma majors, including Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca and Sanofi. Over the past seven years, PeptiDream has established funded discovery collaborations with 16 of the leading pharmaceutical companies. In addition, PeptiDream has transferred its PDPS discovery platform for broad use to Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Novartis, Lilly, and Genentech.