Summary
Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) and Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (OTC:TSOPF.PK) announced the signing of a definitive agreement for worldwide collaboration to research, develop and commercialize TS-032. TS-032 is a metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonist, a novel drug candidate for the treatment of schizophrenia. This represents the third mGluR drug in development for schizophrenia to enter the spotlight in a very short period of time.
Analysis
No sooner did I finish my analysis of Merck’s (NYSE:MRK) January 3 announcement of its agreement with Addex Pharmaceuticals (Swiss:ADXN.SW) to develop an mGluR receptor allosteric modulator, Pfizer announces its agreement with Taisho to develop an mGluR drug candidate for schizophrenia. In my opinion the timing of Pfizer’s announcement is no coincidence and is meant to let us know that they are also serious players in the mGluR drug game. Who will successfully take their development drug to market first and how much competition there will be between these companies for a share of a future glutamate-based antipsychotic market is still up in the air. At present, Lilly is in the lead as it is presently conducting its second Phase II trial of its mGluR drug while the other two are still in pre-clinical development. However, Lilly still needs to demonstrate replicable efficacy of its drug in much large trials which, in the context of many antipsychotic drugs which fail in Phase III, is not a guarantee.
