Wyeth, Solvay Add New Neuroscience Pact

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Solvay Pharmaceuticals have entered into a new neuroscience discovery, co-development, and co-commercialization agreement. The two companies entered into development and commercialization agreements in April 2004 for bifeprunox and other neuroscience compounds.

Under this collaboration, an NDA was submitted in October 2006 to the FDA for bifeprunox for the treatment of schizophrenia. Two additional clinical stage neuroscience development projects — part of the 2004 agreements — SLV-313 and SLV-314 are underway. Under the new agreement, the two companies will collaborate to identify small molecules as potential anti-psychotic medications. Any compounds that result from the collaboration will be co-owned and patented by Wyeth and Solvay as well as co-developed and co-commercialized. Fees and milestone payments were not disclosed.

“Pooling the experiences and know-how of Solvay and Wyeth will enhance the probability for the discovery of a number of novel pre-development neuroscience candidates,” says Menelas Pangalos, Ph.D., vice president, neuroscience discovery, Wyeth Research.