Mereo BioPharma Group licenses AZD 9668 from AstraZeneca to treat alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Mereo BioPharma Group plc a clinical stage, UK-based, biopharmaceutical company focused on rare and specialty diseases, announces that it has reached an agreement with AstraZeneca for an exclusive license, including an option to acquire, AZD 9668, an oral inhibitor of neutrophil elastase.
Under the exclusive license the Company plans to conduct a Phase II study for the treatment of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a congenital orphan condition. The Company has the right to exercise its option to acquire AZD 9668 after the initiation of pivotal studies.
Comment: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a genetic disorder that affects approximately 100,000 patients in the United States and 120,000 patients in Europe. It can cause severe debilitating conditions such as chronic liver disease but, most notably, pulmonary emphysema, which is a life-threatening disease. Pulmonary emphysema results in irreversible destruction of the tissues supporting the function of the lungs and causing severe shortness of breath and wheeze.
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