Rxi Pharmaceuticals Obtains Partnership Agreement For ALS With Thera Neuropharma

Today Rxi Pharmaceuticals (RXII) announced that it has entered into a license agreement with a privately-held pharmaceutical company known as Thera NeuroPharma. The license agreement expands on the notion that Thera NeuroPharma will use Rxi's sd-rxRNA technology platform to develop neurodegnerative disease medicines. 

More specifically both companies will work closely to collaborate on a drug to treat Amyotrophic Laterl Sclerosis -- ALS  or Lou Gherig's Disease. ALS is a disease where motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord die off diminishing normal muscle movement leaving the patient immobilized. There are approximately 20,000 Americans diagnosed with ALS, and there is a significant unmet medical need. 

Both Rxi and Thera will combine their technologies together, SOD 1 sd-rxRNA and small molecule regenerative therapeuetics -- SMRT --- respectively. Under the terms of the license agreement Thera NeuroPharma will be responsible for all costs of the trials, research, development, manufacturing, regulatory, and commercialization portion of the product. 

Rxi's RXI-109 is similar to Rxi's SOD1 targeting sd-rxRNA in that it efficiently enters cells of the spinal cord and brain. Such a treatment collaboration by both companies may provide therapeutic benefit by restoring motor neurons to allow muscle movement. Current treatment for ALS is Rilutek which is the only medication approved by the FDA. The problem with the drug is that it may slow down the progression of ALS, but does not attempt to restore motor neurons. If the combination of Rxi and Thera Neuropharma's drug technology is successful, it could potentially help restore muscle movement in patients with ALS.