- Knight Therapeutics Inc. (GUD) has entered exclusive license and supply agreements with Rigel Pharmaceuticals to commercialize fostamatinib throughout Latin America
- Rigel will receive an upfront cash payment, with the potential for additional payments
- Knight will receive exclusive rights to fostamatinib for several different treatments
- Fostamatinib is already being sold in the United States and Europe to treat chronic immune thrombocytopenia
- Knight Therapeutics Inc. (GUD) is up 0.19 per cent trading at $5.32 per share as of 3:37 p.m. ET
Knight Therapeutics (GUD) has signed license and supply agreements with Rigel Pharmaceuticals.
Under the agreements, Knight Therapeutics will commercialize fostamatinib, an oral spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) inhibitor, throughout Latin America.
Rigel will receive an upfront cash payment, with the potential for additional payments based on company milestones, as well as stepped-up royalties.
In return, Knight will receive exclusive rights to fostamatinib for several different treatments including chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), and COVID-19 in Latin America.
Fostamatinib is already being sold in the United States under the name TAVALISSE® and in Europe under the name TAVLESSE® for the treatment of ITP.
In patients with ITP (immune thrombocytopenia), the immune system attacks and destroys the body’s own blood platelets, which play an active role in blood clotting and healing.
Usual symptoms for ITP are excessive bruising and bleeding. According to Knight the current therapies for ITP include steroids, blood platelet (the piece of cell responsible for blood clotting) production boosters, and splenectomy. However, not all patients respond to existing therapies.
Fostamatinib is undergoing a phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of wAIHA and two phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.2,3
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare blood disorder that causes the destruction of red blood cells. Warm AIHA is identified by the presence of antibodies that react with the red blood cell surface at body temperature. There are currently no disease-targeted therapies approved for warm AIHA.
SYK enables the signaling pathways for different immune cells and may improve outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Additionally, SYK inhibition in white blood cells and platelets can potentially decrease thrombo-inflammation, alleviating organ dysfunction in critically ill patients with COVID-19.
Knight Therapeutics Inc. (GUD) is up 0.19 per cent trading at $5.32 per share as of 3:37 p.m. ET.
