An Israeli pharma group which has licensed Silence Therapeutics PLC's (LON:SLN) chemical modification technology has dosed the first patient in a phase III trial of its acute kidney injury treatment.
Quark Pharmaceuticals also announced it has reached an agreement with the US Food and Drug Administration on the overall study design with a new primary endpoint.
Silence is eligible to receive either approximately 1.5%-4% royalties from Quark on the QPI-1002 drug plus milestones, or 15% of the clinical, regulatory and commercial milestone payments and royalties received by Quark from its partner Novartis.
“We are pleased to see the pipeline progress made by Quark Pharmaceuticals,” said Silence executive chair Annalisa Jenkins.
“Based upon positive data observed in their phase II programme, Quark have successfully transitioned to a major pivotal phase III programme for patients at high risk post cardiac surgery requiring prevention of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).
“This significant global siRNA programme includes proprietary chemical modification technology developed by Silence Therapeutics.”