Inspirna to receive $45 million in upfront payment for ex-US exclusive license and US co-development option to ompenaclid and follow-on compounds

Inspirna, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class cancer therapeutics, announced today a licensing agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, for ompenaclid (RGX-202), a first-in-class oral inhibitor of the creatine transport channel SLC6A8, currently in development for RAS mutated (RASm) second-line (2L) advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and SLC6a8 targeting follow-on compounds.

“We are excited to partner with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leader in the oncology field with global drug development and commercial expertise in colorectal cancer specifically, to help bring our novel therapies to more patients in need,” said Dr. Usman “Oz” Azam, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Inspirna.