Switzerland-based Roche has agreed to acquire French biotechnology firm Trophos, in a bid to expand its neuromuscular disease portfolio.
As part of the deal, Roche will pay an upfront cash payment of €120m to Trophos’s shareholders, as well as additional contingent payments of up to €350m based on achievement of certain predetermined milestones.
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Established in 1999, Trophos developed a cholesterol-oxime based chemistry platform. It was supported by a syndicate of private equity funds including ACG Management, OTC Agregator, Amundi Private Equity Funds, Turenne Capital, Sofipaca and Vesale Partners, as well as the French Muscular Dystrophy Association (AFM).
Roche chief medical officer Dr Sandra Horning said: "This acquisition highlights Roche’s commitment to developing medicines for spinal muscular atrophy, a serious disease with no effective treatment.
"We will build on the work done by Trophos and the French Muscular Dystrophy Association to advance the development of olesoxime and to bring it to people who live with this devastating condition as quickly as possible."
Trophos’s portfolio includes proprietary screening platform generated olesoxime (TRO19622), which is being developed for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic neuromuscular disease in children.
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By GlobalDataOlesoxime is an investigational medicine, which is designed to protect the health of motor nerve cells.
According to Roche, olesoxime’s Phase II clinical trial in SMA demonstrated a beneficial effect on the maintenance of neuromuscular function in individuals with Type II and non-ambulatory Type III SMA, as well as reduced medical complications associated with the disease.
Trophos CEO Christine Placet said: "SMA is a grievous disease with a huge impact on the daily life of patients and their families, who are currently left only with supportive care."
Image: Roche’s Basel site. Photo: courtesy of F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
