(Bloomberg) – Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA has held initial discussions with potential partners about licensing an experimental drug to treat schizophrenia, a mental health condition with no cure.
“We see a good chance of a licensing deal in the second half of the year,” Chief Executive Officer Stefan Weber said in a telephone interview late on Tuesday.
Among the 10 to 15 drugmakers with a stake in the $24 billion market for schizophrenia treatments, Weber cited Eli Lilly & Co., Roche Holding AG, Novartis AG, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd and Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd. Any potential partner will want to see more data from a mid-stage trial whose full details will be unveiled in March, he said.
The experimental medicine, called evenamide, is a potential blockbuster, according to Weber. Blockbuster is the industry term for medicines with at least $1 billion in annual sales. The Bresso, Italy-based company plans to release details about a phase II clinical test at an industry conference in March – the same month another medicine, the first innovative drug for Parkinson’s disease in a decade, may get a ruling from U.S. regulators.