Merck Biopharm osteoarthritis co-research agreement

Biopharm has signed an agreement with Merck to cooperate with Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck, in their research activities directed towards the molecular engineering of a biologic compound for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Under the terms of the agreement, Biopharm and Merck Serono will enter a joint discovery project focusing on a potential pro-anabolic osteoarthritis modifying drug based on a growth factor derived from the Biopharm growth factor platform technology.

The aim of the research program, which is intended to run for two years, is to strengthen the potential beneficial effects of an existing wildtype protein, which is thought to drive hyaline joint cartilage formation during embryogenic development and seems to be associated with osteoarthritis.

Biopharm will provide variants of the wildtype protein and early preclinical research services focusing on the molecule properties to Merck Serono. In case of identification of any development candidates, Merck Serono will own exclusive development and commercialisation rights to the development candidates for osteoarthritis.