Research and Option License Agreement Filed by Titan Pharmaceuticals

Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has entered into a research and option license agreement with the MUSC Foundation for Research Development, the company said today. As a result, Titan will conduct specific research, evaluation, proof of concept development, and testing at least three tetrapeptide kappa-opioid receptor agonist compounds related to the provisional U.S. patent application entitled Opioid Agonists and Methods of Use Thereof, which was previously assigned to FRD by the Medical University of South Carolina.

Titan has the opportunity to purchase an exclusive worldwide commercial license to the inventions linked to MUSC’s chemicals from FRD in exchange. “We are excited to begin research on MUSC FRD’s tetrapeptide kappa-opioid receptor agonist compounds, particularly following encouraging early results from the first studies of kappa-opioid receptor agonist peptide, TP-2021, in a murine model of chronic pruritis,” said Kate Beebe DeVarney, Ph.D., President and Chief Operating Officer of Titan.

MUSC FRD is in charge of reviewing the intellectual assets the company owns and develops, fostering value, and building industry and other collaborations that result in products and services that address real-world medical problems. The foundation acts as a dedicated one-stop-shop for developing innovation at MUSC, whether its translations involve a technology license, research collaboration, or a new start-up business. The team is also working to create an innovative ecosystem whose activities help MUSC’s total economic impact on the state and country.

Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biotechnology firm in the early stages of development that is developing patented therapies based on its ProNeura® long-term, continuous drug delivery technology. The ProNeura technology could be utilized to build products for various chronic illnesses. Maintaining regular, round-the-clock blood levels of medication could benefit the patient and enhance medical outcomes.