EXTON, Pa., May 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — ViroPharma Incorporated
(Nasdaq:
VPHM) and Halozyme Therapeutics (Nasdaq: HALO)announced today
that Halozyme has granted ViroPharma an exclusive worldwide license
to use Halozyme’s proprietary Enhanze™ technology, a
proprietary drug delivery platform using Halozyme’s recombinant
human hyaluronidase enzyme (rHuPH20) technology in combination with
a C1 esterase inhibitor. Additionally, Halozyme has agreed not
to grant to any third party rights to use rHuPH20 to develop a
combination product for the prevention or treatment of hereditary
angioedema (HAE), or for three additional orphan disease
indications.
ViroPharma intends to apply rHuPH20 initially to develop a novel
subcutaneous formulation of Cinryze® (C1 esterase inhibitor
[human]) for routine prophylaxis against attacks of HAE. ViroPharma
seeks to combine Cinryze with rHuPH20 to enhance volume independent
biodistribution, and to increase the overall convenience of the
therapy by allowing for a single subcutaneous injection of Cinryze.
Recently completed preclinical studies have demonstrated that
rHuPH20 and Cinryze can be formulated together without compromising
the activity of either agent. ViroPharma intends to initiate
Phase 2 clinical testing of the combination in the second half of
2011.
Halozyme’s proprietary rHuPH20 enzyme facilitates the absorption
and dispersion of drugs or fluids that are injected under the skin.
When injected under the skin, rHuPH20 transiently generates
channels in tissues underlying the outer layers of the skin to
increase the absorption and spread of injected drugs. Halozyme
maintains a patent portfolio pertaining to recombinant human
hyaluronidase which expires in 2027 in the U.S. and has additional
patent applications that relate to recombinant human hyaluronidase
and methods of using and manufacturing the enzyme that rep
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