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January 12, 2022

Biohaven strikes licensing deal for pain drug with Belgium’s KU Leuven

PHOTO | Andrew Venditti Biohaven CEO Vlad Coric
By Liese Klein

Biohaven acquired exclusive global rights to develop and sell a novel pain drug from Belgium’s KU Leuven university, the New Haven biotech announced this week.

The deal involves first-in-class transient receptor potential melastatin-3 (TRPM3) channel antagonists, a promising treatment for patients living with chronic pain disorders. The platform was discovered by bioscience researchers at KU Leuven, a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium.

KU Leuven researchers demonstrated in animal studies that an oral TRPM3 antagonist named BHV-2100 reduced pain without the side effects found with other pain management approaches.

Biohaven CEO Vlad Coric said, “There is an urgent unmet need for safe, effective treatments for pain, and TRPM3 antagonism is a promising approach to advance new pain therapies. We are excited to collaborate with these academic leaders to bring BHV-2100 into clinical development.”

Under the deal, Biohaven Therapeutics gets rights to the drug platform and will support further research at KU Leuven on TRPM3 antagonists. KU Leuven will receive an upfront payment and is eligible to receive more money at key milestones. In addition, the university will be eligible to receive royalties on net sales of products resulting from the collaboration.

Last week Biohaven announced that it had completed its transaction with Pfizer Inc. to sell the migraine drugs rimegepant and zavegepant outside of the U.S. in a deal potentially worth $1.24 billion.

City records showed last week that Biohaven bought New Haven's former Quinnipiack Club on Church Street for $4.1 million.

Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com.

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