OSAKA, Japan and YAMAGUCHI, Japan. February 28, 2022 - Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; President & CEO: Isao Teshirogi, Ph.D.; hereafter “Shionogi”) and Ube Industries, Ltd. (Head Office: Yamaguchi, Japan; President & Representative Director: Masato Izumihara; hereafter “Ube Industries”), today announced the execution of a strategic development collaboration agreement for S-337395, a novel anti-respiratory syncytial (RS) virus drug candidate.
Almost all people have a respiratory tract infection caused by the RS virus at least once before the age of two, and are subsequently infected repeatedly throughout their lives. RS virus infection in infancy can cause serious symptoms, mainly due to lower respiratory tract inflammation, particularly during the first few weeks through several months after birth. Because there is currently no effective anti-RS virus drug, the unmet medical need for safe and effective drugs to treat RS virus infection is high.
Shionogi and Ube Industries established a strategic research collaboration agreement in December 20181. By fusing Shionogi’s drug discovery capability, focused on the infectious disease field, with Ube Industries’ organic synthesis capability, the companies have been joining pursuing the discovery of small molecule compounds effective against the RS virus. Based on the results of non-clinical exploratory evaluation, we have identified S-337395 as having strong potential to be clinically safe and effective, and we have now executed a strategic development agreement to support its progression, targeting initiation of the first clinical trial of S-337395 in the 2023 fiscal year.
With the execution of this agreement, we will continue to advance the development of S-337395, combining our respective strengths and seeking to provide this compound to patients as soon as possible.
About Shionogi & Co., Ltd.
Shionogi is committed to “Protect people worldwide from the threat of infectious diseases” as our key focus. We are not limiting ourselves to the research and development of therapeutic medications, but are also focused on the total care of infectious disease, through awareness building, prevention, diagnosis, and treating exacerbations, as well as the infection itself. For more information, please visit https://www.shionogi.com/global/en/.
About Ube Industries, Ltd.
Ube Industries is a chemistry-focused company that is also engaged in the construction materials and machinery businesses. In its pharmaceutical business, Ube Industries aims to contribute to better health for everyone with community-based manufacturing of drugs using innovative technologies. Going forward, Ube Industries will continue creating promising new compounds for new medicines with a dual approach of pursuing drug discovery through internal and joint research and development projects, and manufacturing and supply of APIs and intermediates. http://www.ube.co.jp
*: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient
Reference
Press release on December 10, 2018
SHIONOGI and Ube Industries Entered into Strategic Research Collaboration for Novel Anti-RS Virus Drug Candidates
For Further Information, Contact:
SHIONOGI Website Inquiry Form:
https://www.shionogi.com/global/en/contact.html
Ube Industries Website Inquiry Form:
https://www.ube-ind.co.jp/ube/Inquiry/Form/InquiryIrprEnAgree