Anacor Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of small molecule drugs, has entered into a licensing and research agreement with not-for-profit Global Alliance for TB Drug Development or TB Alliance to explore a novel anti-bacterial drug target for use in tuberculosis therapy.
Under the agreement, Anacor will provide the TB Alliance with a non-exclusive, royalty-free worldwide license for tuberculosis. Anacor will receive support from the TB Alliance for its prominent role in the joint research efforts.
Anacor has also extended an existing licensing and drug development agreement with not-for-profit, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) to develop new therapeutics for human African trypanosomiasis, visceral Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.
Under the terms of the agreement, Anacor will provide DNDi with a non-exclusive, royalty-free license for any boron-based therapeutics for neglected diseases identified through the collaboration for developing world countries.
To oversee Anacor’s efforts in this area, the company has appointed Eric Easom to the newly created position of program leader, neglected diseases, and he will serve as its liaison to public and private partners.
Mr Easom brings 19 years of pharmaceutical, biotech and non-profit experience to Anacor. The majority of his career was spent at Eli Lilly and Company where he served in a variety of commercial, business development and manufacturing roles. He has also held business development and commercial roles at InteKrin Therapeutics, MedImmune and McKesson.
David Perry, CEO of Anacor, said: “Anacor is committed to applying our boron chemistry platform to the development of new therapies for the treatment of neglected diseases. Funds from public-private partnerships like the TB Alliance and DNDi make it possible to meet both our responsibilities to our shareholders and help reduce the burden of neglected diseases. As these programs are successful, we hope to expand our current efforts and establish programs in new disease areas.”