SOM Biotech and Nippon Chemiphar will develop new orphan indications for an antihypertensive drug

SOM, after using a proprietary ligand analysis computational algorithm and completing the preclinical assays, determined that bevantolol (coded SOM3355 by SOM) is a highly effective Vesicular Monoamine Transporter Type 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor, a class of compounds that has demonstrated to have success in treating Central Nervous System movement disorders such as Huntington’s Chorea, Tardive Dyskinesia, and Tourette’s syndrome.

SOM has conducted numerous validating studies which thus far indicate that bevantolol (SOM3355) has the potential to have promising clinical efficacy as well as properties that are likely to avoid the side effects of other members of the VMAT2 inhibitor class that have led to restricted prescribing.

Nippon Chemiphar will provide extensive preclinical and clinical data that will enable SOM to initiate a Phase II Proof of Concept study of 30 patients at 3 centers in Europe beginning in December 2017. Additionally, Nippon Chemiphar will provide formulated ingredients for clinical trials.

SOM retains worldwide rights to the usage of bevantolol (SOM3355) in these disorders with Nippon Chemiphar having a priority option to develop in numerous Asian countries.

Raul Insa, CEO of SOM Biotech says: “We have a close, multi-year relationship with Nippon Chemiphar and are excited to prove a new use of their drug that will help many people with these difficult to treat orphan diseases.”

Masao Yamamoto, Head of Development Planning Department of Nippon Chemiphar says: “We are pleased to learn that SOM opened up the new possibility of our drug to provide new treatment option for highly unmet orphan diseases. We sincerely admire SOM for their unprecedent ability of drug repurposing.”

The development of this product by SOM closely follows the successful repurposing, proof of clinical concept, and out-licensing of SOM0226 for the indication of TTR amyloidosis, another CNS related rare disease.

Image: Dr. Raul Insa, CEO of SOM Biotech (Photo: Parc Científic de Barcelona).