Eisai, University of Kansas grant water-soluble pro-drug technology patent to OneWorld Health

OneWorld Health (OWH), a nonprofit that develops lifesaving medicines for neglected diseases, announced that it has signed a nonexclusive patent agreement with Eisai Co., Ltd., for a water-soluble pro-drug technology patent. OWH will use the pro-drug technology to advance development of iOWH032, its new drug to treat acute secretory diarrhea.

“We are thankful to Eisai and the University of Kansas for the granted patent, which will assist in further development of this important drug.”

Diarrheal disease is the second most common cause of death among children under five years of age, with a pediatric death toll of 1.3 million lives lost each year. While oral rehydration therapy (ORT) remains a key part of diarrhea treatment, it has limitations, which iOWH032 is designed to address. Last spring, OWH announced that iOWH032 entered phase 1 clinical trials in the United States, which are now nearly completed. Phase 2 trials are expected to begin in South Asia in 2012.

"While oral rehydration therapy is extremely useful, it does not treat the cause of diarrhea directly. Our new anti-secretory drug, iOWH032, is designed to work differently. By targeting the diarrhea directly—not just the resulting dehydration—it provides relief quickly and encourages wider adoption and compliance of ORT," said Dr. Tue Nguyen, OWH's vice president of Research and Development. "We are thankful to Eisai and the University of Kansas for the granted patent, which will assist in further development of this important drug."

The original water-soluble pro-drug technology was developed by scientists at the University of Kansas (KU), and the exclusive patent right is owned by the KU Center for Technology Commercialization, Inc. (KUCTC). KUCTC licensed the patent to Eisai, and both parties generously agreed to Eisai sublicensing the rights to OWH.