GSK, Galapagos Expand Arthritis Pact

GlaxoSmithKline and Galapagos have expanded their arthritis alliance to include additional drug discovery programs based on novel drug target GT622. Galapagos will receive a payment from GSK of $10 million in cash and becomes eligible for additional success-based milestones and royalties. Since the start of the alliance in June 2006, Galapagos has received a $62million in payments from GSK. The expanded arthritis alliance with GSK is now worth more than $300 million in milestones, in addition to double-digit royalties.

Earlier this month, Galapagos delivered the first clinical candidate, GLPG0555, in the alliance with GSK. Galapagos developed GLPG0555 based on the novel arthritis target GT622, identified through Galapagos’ target discovery platform. Encouraged by this target’s promising mode of action, GSK and Galapagos have now expanded the scope of the GT622 program to increase the chances of developing a new medicine based on this target. Under the broadened alliance, Galapagos will apply its medicinal chemistry and biology expertise to develop additional candidate compounds against GT622.

“With the candidate GLPG0555 in the clinic, this was the right moment to broaden the program and increase development efforts,” said Onno van de Stolpe, chief executive officer of Galapagos. “Through the payment and milestones for additional molecules ahead of us, this alliance is well financed and in excellent shape to progress novel arthritis candidate drugs into the clinic.”