TxCell and Ferring partner with Trizell to further develop Ovasave to treat IBD

France-based TxCell and Switzerland’s Ferring International have partnered with Trizell Holding to further enhance the development of TxCell’s Ovasave to treat inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

The collaboration, option, development and license agreement between both companies for the product was assigned to Trizell, an affiliate member of the Dr Frederik Paulsen Foundation.

TxCell CEO Damian Marron said: “Products at the forefront of innovation, such as TxCell’s personalised medicine, require expert and dedicated development teams.

“As such, TxCell’s lead product Ovasave for severe refractory Crohn’s disease will benefit enormously from the additional focus and expertise that Trizell will supply.”

“The collaboration, option, development and license agreement between both companies for the product was assigned to Trizell, an affiliate member of the Dr Frederik Paulsen Foundation.”

In December 2013, the Foundation’s affiliate Ferring signed an exclusive worldwide agreement with TxCell, receiving the option to be the commercialising entity for Ovasave to treat IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

The deal is said to be worth €76m ($92.5m), which includes upfront and milestone payments, as well as royalties subject to the achievement of sales milestones, and is unchanged by the Trizell assignment.

Ferring International executive board president Michel Pettigrew said: “This assignment to the Foundation’s specialist company reinforces our increasing commitment to new products like Ovasave, which offer potential breakthroughs in the treatment for diseases with high unmet medical needs.”

Dr Frederik established Trizell to provide specialist management and scientific and development expertise to advanced therapies, including cellular and gene therapies.

TxCell developed ASTrIA, a technology platform based on the properties of autologous antigen-specific regulatory T lymphocytes (Ag-Tregs).