Mr Hal V Barron, president, R&D, Calico
Last week, UT Southwestern researchers published a new paper about the molecular target of P7C3 compounds, a class that has been shown to help in various animal models of neurodegeneration.
UT Southwestern previously licensed the P7C3 compounds to Dallas-based 2M Companies. 2M and Calico have now entered into a new license agreement under which Calico will take responsibility for developing and commercializing the compounds resulting from the research program.
Under the agreement, Calico will fund research laboratories in the Dallas area and elsewhere to support the program.
Mr Hal V Barron, president, R&D, Calico, said, "This is an important collaboration for Calico. We look forward to working with the world-leading scientists who discovered the P7C3 class of molecules to learn whether the remarkable biological effects can be translated to the treatment of human disease."
In 2010, UT Southwestern entered a licensing agreement with 2M Companies for the P7C3 program. Today's agreement between 2M and Calico is an important further step in the process to commercialize these compounds.
Under this agreement, 2M grants to Calico an exclusive worldwide license to the P7C3 program and other NAMPT modulators in exchange for an unspecified up-front fee, milestones, and royalty payments.
Calico is the Google-backed life sciences company led by Mr Arthur D Levinson, former chairman and CEO of Genentech.
Ms Melissa Krauth, head, life science investments, 2M and its affiliate Claria Bioscience, commented, "After many years of fruitful collaboration with UT Southwestern and the P7C3 inventors, we are delighted to place the P7C3 program in the very capable hands of the Calico team. This agreement validates our strategy of partnering with exceptional scientists and investing in early-stage, high-impact technologies to advance them toward the clinic."
