Purdue in deal for Exicure's lead program in psoriasis

Gene regulation company Exicure Inc. (Skokie, Ill.) granted Purdue Pharma L.P. (Stamford, Conn.) exclusive, worldwide rights to its anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) candidate AST-005 and options to in-license therapeutic candidates against three other targets using Exicure's Spherical Nucleic Acid (SNA) technology. The partners will choose the other targets jointly, Exicure CEO David Giljohann told BioCentury.

Exicure has finished a Phase I trial of AST-005, a topical SNA designed to avoid systemic effects of other anti-TNF therapies, to treat chronic plaque psoriasis. Giljohann said Purdue will take over the program's development and begin another clinical trial in 2017, but declined to give specific details...