New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) Zydus Group owned US-based Sentynl Therapeutics on Wednesday said it has inked a pact with Cyprium Therapeutics to acquire its proprietary rights to CUTX-101, a copper histidinate product candidate for the treatment of Menkes disease.

The company has executed an asset purchase agreement to commit development funding for and acquire Cyprium's proprietary rights to CUTX-101, Zydus Group said in a statement.

Under the agreement, Cyprium is eligible to receive up to USD 20 million in upfront development and regulatory cash milestones through new drug application (NDA) approval, as well as potential sales milestones, it added.

Royalties on CUTX-101 net sales ranging from the mid-single digits up to the mid-twenties are also payable, the drug firm said.

Cyprium will retain 100 per cent ownership over any FDA priority review voucher that may be issued at NDA approval for CUTX-101, it added.

Besides, Cyprium will retain development responsibility of CUTX-101 through approval of the NDA by the US Food and Drug Administration and Sentynl will be responsible for commercialisation of CUTX-101 as well as progressing newborn screening activities.

Continued development of CUTX-101 will be overseen by a joint steering committee consisting of representatives from Cyprium and Sentynl.

"Our mission, at the Zydus Group, has been to provide healthcare professionals with access to innovative treatment solutions that enable them to meet the needs of individual patients. We are excited to collaborate with Cyprium in order to broaden our pediatric rare disease portfolio and commercialize CUTX-101, a potentially transformative product, for children with Menkes disease, an unmet healthcare need," Sentynl Co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Heck said.

Cyprium President and CEO Lung S Yam said the company is looking forward to working with Sentynl to begin the rolling submission of the NDA to the FDA this year.

"If approved, CUTX-101 will provide a major breakthrough and fill a significant unmet need for children suffering from this rare, fatal pediatric disease," he added.

Menkes is a rare pediatric disease and is characterised by distinctive clinical features, including sparse and depigmented hair, connective tissue problems, and severe neurological symptoms such as seizures, hypotonia, failure to thrive, and neuro developmental delays.

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