OneWorld Health acquires pro-drug technology patent from Eisai

April 2, 2012 - PRLog -- OneWorld Health (OWH), a nonprofit that develops lifesaving medicines for neglected diseases, announced that it has signed a nonexclusive patent agreement with Eisai Co., Ltd., for a water-soluble pro-drug technology patent. OWH will use the pro-drug technology to advance development of iOWH032, its new drug to treat acute secretory diarrhea.

Diarrheal disease is the second most common cause of death among children under five years of age, with a pediatric death toll of 1.3 million lives lost each year. While oral rehydration therapy (ORT) remains a key part of diarrhea treatment, it has limitations, which iOWH032 is designed to address. Last spring, OWH announced that iOWH032 entered phase 1 clinical trials in the United States, which are now nearly completed. Phase 2 trials are expected to begin in South Asia in 2012.

“While oral rehydration therapy is extremely useful, it does not treat the cause of diarrhea directly. Our new anti-secretory drug, iOWH032, is designed to work differently. By targeting the diarrhea directly—not just the resulting dehydration—it provides relief quickly and encourages wider adoption and compliance of ORT,” said Dr. Tue Nguyen, OWH’s vice president of Research and Development. “We are thankful to Eisai and the University of Kansas for the granted patent, which will assist in further development of this important drug.”

The original water-soluble pro-drug technology was developed by scientists at the University of Kansas (KU), and the exclusive patent right is owned by the KU Center for Technology Commercialization, Inc. (KUCTC). KUCTC licensed the patent to Eisai, and both parties generously agreed to Eisai sublicensing the rights to OWH.

About OneWorld Health
Headquartered in South San Francisco, OneWorld Health is a nonprofit drug development program with a mission to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable new treatments for diseases disproportionately affecting people in the developing world. For more information, please visit www.oneworldhealth.org.

OneWorld Health is an affiliate of PATH, an international nonprofit organization that transforms global health through innovation. To learn more about PATH, visit www.path.org.

About Eisai Co., Ltd.
Eisai Co., Ltd. is a research-based human health care (hhc) company that discovers, develops, and markets products throughout the world. Through a global network of research facilities, manufacturing sites, and marketing subsidiaries, Eisai actively participates in all aspects of the worldwide health care system. For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit www.eisai.com/.  

About the University of Kansas and the Center for Technology Commercialization, Inc.
The University of Kansas (KU) is one of the largest research universities in the United States. It has a strong tradition of effective technology commercialization based primarily on research in drug development and delivery; education and human development; biosciences, biofuels, and bioengineering; information technologies; and remote sensing. The KU Center for Technology Commercialization works with researchers at all KU campuses to protect their creative ideas and assist in the commercial development of their inventions. The outcomes include patents, licensing agreements, and company startups in a variety of fields. The overall goals are to promote innovation and entrepreneurship among faculty, staff, and students; reinvest funds in support of further research; and benefit society.

Media Contact
Elena Pantjushenko
Associate, External Affairs, OWH
Office: +1 650-392-2537
Mobile: +1 415-341-4140
epantjushenko@oneworldhealth.org

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About OneWorld Health
Headquartered in South San Francisco, OneWorld Health is a nonprofit drug development program with a mission to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable new treatments for diseases disproportionately affecting people in the developing world. For more information, please visit www.oneworldhealth.org.