Oncodesign, a drug discovery company and oncology pharmacology service provider, has entered into a research collaboration and exclusive license option with UCB, a global biopharmaceutical provider specialized in neurology and immunology. The collaboration will bring innovative therapeutic solutions to patients suffering from neurodegenerative disorders. Oncodesign will apply its Nanocyclix technology on a kinase target selected by UCB, with the aim of discovering potent and selective inhibitors that cross the blood brain barrier.

Oncodesign’s Nanocyclix technology is a proprietary medicinal chemistry platform based on small molecule macrocyclisation that gives access to potent and highly selective kinase inhibitors with attractive physicochemical and ADME properties. Oncodesign has identified Nanocyclix leads against a broad range of known and unexplored kinases with potential in different therapeutic areas and is engaged in multiple collaborations with pharmaceutical partners.

“We are very excited to partner with UCB for the first time on this exclusive research collaboration and license option in the field of neurodegenerative disorders, an area with high unmet needs for a large patient population. This new collaboration demonstrates the growing interest that the pharmaceutical industry has in our Nanocyclix technology. This allows us to discover innovative inhibitors for kinases that are otherwise difficult to address,” said Jan Hoflack, Ph.D., chief scientific officer and head of Oncodesign's discovery activities.

UCB is granted an exclusive option to license the joint program (with worldwide development and commercialization rights), upon successfully reaching certain discovery milestones. Oncodesign is entitled to funding for the program's research activities, and upon exercise of the license option, a program access fee and additional research, development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments for the development of molecules in two or more indications, and tiered royalties on net sales.