Repligen Corporation has announced that it has exclusively licensed worldwide rights for the use of uridine in the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder from McLean Hospital.
The use of uridine in the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder is currently the subject of a patent application and upon issue, the patent will remain in force until 2025 prior to any regulatory extensions. Under the terms of the license agreement, McLean will receive an upfront payment, development milestones and royalties upon successful commercialization of uridine for bipolar disorder. McLean Hospital is the largest psychiatric facility of Harvard Medical School and maintains the largest research program of any private, U.S. psychiatric hospital. Repligen is developing RG2417, an oral formulation of uridine, as a treatment for the depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder based on positive results of a previously reported Phase 2a clinical trial.
"Bipolar disorder affects more than two million adults in the United States," stated Walter C. Herlihy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Repligen Corporation. "Treatment of the symptoms of bipolar depression remains an area of significant unmet medical need, as current therapies are ineffective and result in numerous side effects. We look forward to completion of our ongoing proof-of-concept clinical trial which could provide a new approach to the treatment of bipolar depression."