Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, a Rockville, Maryland-headquartered clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for treating cancer, has formed a pact with Zhejiang Haichang Biotechnology, a Zhejiang, China-headquartered biopharmaceutical company, to develop Archexin (RX-0201) for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a form of liver cancer.

Under the agreement, Haichang will develop a nano-liposomal formulation of RX-0201 using its proprietary QTsome technology, a gene-delivery technology, and conduct certain preclinical and clinical activities through completion of a Phase IIa proof-of-concept clinical trial for treating HCC. Any clinical trials conducted by Haichang are planned to be designed to meet both US and Chinese regulatory requirements. Haichang will fund all research and development activities through completion of the Phase IIa clinical trial.

The parties will share in an agreed ratio of downstream licensing fees and royalties paid by third parties in connection with the further development and commercialization of the nano-liposomal formulation of RX-0201 for treating HCC.

In connection with the agreement with Haichang, Rexahn plans to discontinue its internally funded programs of Archexin and will cease enrollment in the current Phase IIa clinical study of Archexin in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Patients currently enrolled in the trial will continue to be followed.

Source: Rexahn Pharmaceuticals