Roche returns rights to Trimeris' fusion inhibitor IP
TRMS announced late Thursday that partner Roche (SWX:ROG) returned all rights to joint patents and other IP under the companies' 2000 research deal for TRMS's next-generation fusion inhibitor peptides to treat HIV. TRMS will pay ROG royalties on TRI-1144, which is in preclinical development. TRMS said it is reviewing its strategic options for the program.
ROG will also return rights to IP under a 1999 deal, in which the companies partnered to develop TRMS's Fuzeon enfuvirtide and T-1249 to treat HIV. ROG will continue to exclusively market Fuzeon, a viral fusion inhibitor peptide analog based on HIV gp41. The partners placed development of T-1249 on hold in 2004 because the formulation did not meet the desired technical profile (See BioCentury Extra, Monday, Jan. 05, 2004). TRMS has not disclosed any other programs in development. ...