LONDON - NeuroSearch A/S agreed to a collaboration worth up to US$57 million plus royalties with Glaxo Wellcome plc for the antidepressant, NS2389.

The deal on the product, which is in Phase II studies, includes an $10 million up-front payment.

NS2389 is NeuroSearch's attempt to improve on existing drugs that block the re-uptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin. In addition to serotonin, NS2389 blocks re-uptake of the neurotransmitters noradrenaline and dopamine.

Jorgen Buus Lassen, president and CEO of NeuroSearch, of Glostrup, Denmark, said, "Sales of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors reached $10 billion last year. They have a good profile, but are not optimal in their therapeutic effect. One-third of patients do not respond, and the onset of action is slow. We have worked to improve this profile, and believe that NS2389 will be a better antidepressant with a faster onset of action."

Richard Wallace, VP in charge of neurology and psychiatry products at Glaxo Wellcome, said, "The triple-action profile offers the hope of greater efficacy with equal, or better, tolerability than selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and selective noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitors."

Buus Lassen noted that in Phase I there was no evidence of nausea, one of the side effects that limits the suitability of existing drugs.

A few small Phase II trials have been conducted to date, from which the data are "promising." The full Phase II program is yet to be finalized. "We could do a number of studies, against placebo and active drugs, and it is not decided yet. We expect to start Phase III next year," Buus Lassen said.

NeuroSearch approached a number of potential partners with NS2389. "The main reason we chose Glaxo Wellcome was because we really have a good impression of their R&D staff and their commitment to this. We are very satisfied with the terms, both under development and launching the product in the market."