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Ipsen, a French specialty pharmaceutical company, and Debiopharm Group, a Swiss biopharmaceutical group, have signed an agreement under which Debiopharm has been granted an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize Ipsen’s inhibitor of the CDC25 phosphatase enzyme, Debio 0931, for the treatment of various human cancers.

Under the terms of the agreement, Debiopharm will be exclusively responsible for the development of Debio 0931, with Ipsen having an option to re-acquire development and commercialization rights post completion of Phase II clinical trials. Ipsen will receive an upfront payment and be eligible for milestone payments and royalties.

CDC25 is a key enzyme involved in the regulation of cell cycle. Its over-expression is associated with the progression of cancer.

Jean-Luc Belingard, chairman and CEO of Ipsen, said: “We are delighted that Ipsen’s CDC-25 inhibitor will be progressed toward clinical development by Debiopharm.

“Debiopharm is our long-standing partner with whom we have had a very fruitful partnership in other areas of oncology for more than 20 years and we feel confident that the full potential of CDC-25 will be maximized, thanks to Debiopharm’s strong expertise in oncology development.”