Washington Editor

Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corp. said it granted Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals Inc. an exclusive patent license for two of its alpha-2 adrenergic receptor compounds.

The agreement also allows Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble to operate under Synaptic's patents for all therapeutic indications for the two compounds.

Kathleen Mullinix, president and CEO of Paramus, N.J.-based Synaptic, told BioWorld Today that she couldn't discuss specific indications P&G is planning to study. The research is in the preclinical stage. She did say P&G will pay an up-front licensing fee plus milestones and royalties if a product is commercialized.

While she wouldn't discuss additional terms, she said, "The important thing is that over time, we have made licensing arrangements with other companies, and now they are working on things that we have an interest in. Obviously, the more you have in play - on your own or with partners - the better chance you have to become a real business."

Synaptic uses G protein-coupled receptors as targets for therapeutics. The company is finishing Phase I work on its lead product, SNEC-2, for the treatment of depression.

The compounds licensed to P&G selectively bind to alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, which are activated by the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (noradrenaline). The alpha-2 adrenergic receptors serve as a system in regulating physiological functions controlled by both the peripheral and central nervous system. They affect blood pressure, heart rate and smooth muscle tone, as well as other activities, according to a prepared statement released by Synaptic.

"These compounds were part of a synthetic program that we had ongoing for another indication, but they are not things that we are pursuing," Mullinix said. "The asset base of this company is huge and it will be a source of a lot of licenses we intend to make for various things. We have about 160 issued patents right now, and this [license with P&G] is just one tiny aspect of one patent."

Mullinix said Synaptic has similar agreements with other companies, such as Grunenthal GmbH, of Aachen, Germany; Kissei Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Tokyo; Eli Lilly and Co., of Indianapolis; Glaxo Group Ltd., of London; Novartis Pharma AG, of Basel, Switzerland; and Johnson & Johnson Research and Development, of New Brunswick, N.J.

"All of these arrangements use intellectual property that we have developed and now we have a downstream economic interest in their success," she said.

Synaptic's stock (NASDAQ:SNAP) closed Wednesday unchanged at $5.90, while P&G's stock (NYSE:PG) closed at $87.95, up 5 cents.