TME Pharma N.V. and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) announced the continuation of their collaboration through the signing of an option framework agreement. The agreement aims to advance the development of TME Pharma's NOX-E36 anti-CCL2 RNA aptamer for ophthalmic indications, including glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS) and also conditions involving fibrosis and inflammation in the back of the eye. The agreement establishes a strategic collaboration framework for NOX-E36, with TME Pharma securing an exclusive two-year option to out-license all rights related to NOX-E36 to either a newly created company or a third-party licensee.
The framework reflects TME Pharma's foundational investment and ownership of the underlying asset, while duly recognizing SERI's pivotal contributions in early-stage ophthalmic research. Taking these respective contributions into account, the parties agreed to a fixed revenue-sharing model, with TME Pharma receiving a larger share of future licensing consideration. TME Pharma will lead the commercial discussions, streamlining engagement with potential investors and licensing partners interested in advancing NOX-E36's development in ophthalmology.
Through this collaboration, TME Pharmaand SERI aim to progress NOX-E36 from preclinical research into clinical studies, leveraging their combined expertise to accelerate development. The near-term financial commitments include TME Pharma funding preclinical local ocular tolerance studies, while SERI will seek grants to fund and conduct the Phase 1b clinical study. Moreover, SERI will provide its deep expertise in ophthalmology research, pharmacological testing in animal models, and clinical evaluation, while TME Pharma will bring its prior clinical, regulatory and manufacturing experience and documentation as well as drug supply for both preclinical and clinical studies and will manage new intellectual property (IP).
TME Pharmaand SERI have already filed patent applications covering use of NOX-E36 in glaucoma filtation surgery and other ophthalmic diseases1 and will continue working together to secure joint IP protection for any patentable innovations arising from this research. NOX-A12 in combination with radiotherapy had also previously received orphan drug designation (ODD) for glioblastoma in the United States and glioma in Europe. TME Pharma has delivered final top-line data with encouraging overall survival and safety profile from its NOX-A12 combination trial with Keytruda®?
in metastatic colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients, which was published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer in October 2021. The company has entered in its second collaboration with MSD/Merck for its Phase 2 study, OPTIMUS, to further evaluate safety and efficacy of NOX-A12 in combined with Merck's Keytruda®? and two different chemotherapy regimens as second-line therapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The design of the trial has been approved in the United States. As of December 2024, SERI's faculty has been awarded with more than 1,425 national and international prizes and filed 188 patents. As the research institute of the SND/Merck's SND/Merck for the Phase 2 study in the U.S.
