Indivior announced its subsidiary Indivior UK Limited and C4X Discovery entered into a license agreement where Indivior UK has obtained exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize C4X's oral orexin-1 receptor antagonist program. The orexin-1 (OX1) molecular pathway has been identified by Indivior as a priority pathway for the treatment of addiction. Selective blockade of the OX1 system has been shown to decrease drug-seeking behavior related to psychomotor stimulants, opiates and alcohol, and to prevent relapse or reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior during abstinence. Indivior believes that further development of the OX1 pathway may lead to significant advances in medication-assisted treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders.
The agreement with C4X includes lead candidate C4X3256, a novel, first-in-class, oral, small molecule that has demonstrated preclinical efficacy and tolerability in animal models. The collaboration also includes a library of additional OX1 compounds in the same chemical family.
Under the terms of the agreement, Indivior UK will make an upfront payment to C4X of $10 million with potential milestone payments to C4X that could total $284 million over time if all development, regulatory and commercial goals are achieved.
"We are continuing to extensively review and invest in targeted new treatments that extend our understanding of and leadership in addiction," said Shaun Thaxter, Chief Executive Officer of Indivior. "The OX1 pathway is a key molecular pathway we are targeting for development and is particularly attractive to us for its potential as a non-narcotic mechanism for treating and preventing relapse across a broad range of substance use disorders. Our development of the OX1 pathway will leverage the current efforts we have already underway internally and through other collaborations as we pursue novel treatments for addiction."