Partnering & Collaborations

4SC develops products with a high medical need and large market potential. The Company intends to realise the value of its therapeutics by entering into partnering deals with pharmaceutical and global biotech companies for the completion of later-stage clinical studies and the commercial launch of the drugs. The resulting income will be invested in further research and development programmes. Relationships with potential partners are established at an early stage. Discussions at this point allow 4SC to sharpen its understanding of the requirements for later stage development and potential market entry.

Additional income is also generated in the earlier stages of drug development, for instance through licensing deals for drug candidates in indications outside of 4SC’s areas of specialization or through R&D co-operations, which are based on 4SC’s technology platform. This enhances a partners’ ability to discover, research and develop drugs more efficiently. In return, received payments can be used to reduce capital requirements for internal R&D projects.

4SC also strives to establish research partnerships with other pharmaceutical and biotech companies in highly innovative research projects, in order to leverage the maximum potential from the developments which emerge from these promising projects.

ProQinase

4SC-203, which is currently in a first-in-man Phase I study, originated from this collaboration.

ViroLogik

Virologik based in Erlangen, Germany, in-licensed the proteasome inhibitior 4SC-206 in order to develop, manufacture and market the compound for viral diseases. Both companies exchange relevant expertise regularly.

Yakult Honsha

4SC AG and Yakult Honsha Co.; Ltd., announced the grant of an exclusive license by 4SC to Yakult Honsha for the development and commercialization of the orally available pan-histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor resminostat for the indications hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and colorectal cancer in KRAS-mutant patients (CRC). Yakult Honsha is Japan's market leader in the gastrointestinal oncology field.