Pfizer licenses potential gout therapy KUX-1151 from Kissei
Pfizer Inc. has entered into a licensing agreement with Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for KUX-1151, an investigational therapy for gout and hyperuricemia. The deal grants Pfizer global development and commercialization rights outside of Japan.
Pfizer Inc. has secured worldwide rights, excluding Japan, to develop and commercialize KUX-1151, a novel investigational therapy for gout and hyperuricemia. The drug candidate was discovered by Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Under the terms of the agreement, Kissei will receive an upfront payment and is eligible for milestone payments and royalties on future sales. Specific financial terms were not disclosed. Pfizer's Neusentis Research Unit is set to advance the KUX-1151 program.
KUX-1151 is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials in Japan. The therapy aims to reduce serum uric acid levels by inhibiting both xanthine oxidase, an enzyme regulating uric acid production, and urate transporter 1 (URAT1), which is responsible for uric acid reabsorption in the kidneys. This dual-mechanism approach seeks to offer a new treatment option for patients suffering from gout and hyperuricemia.
Gout and hyperuricemia are conditions arising from an imbalance between the production and excretion of uric acid in the body. The development of KUX-1151 represents a potential new therapeutic strategy targeting this imbalance.