Ipsen and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced a global licensing and joint development agreement for a pre-clinical oncology drug candidate discovered by researchers in MD Anderson’s Institute for Applied Cancer Science (IACS).

MD Anderson will progress the drug candidate through Phase I clinical development with Ipsen being responsible for further global development and commercialization.

Alexandre Lebeaut, M.D., executive vice president, Research & Development and chief scientific pfficer, Ipsen, said, “We are very pleased to partner with the IACS at the MD Anderson Cancer Center whose reputation in scientific excellence and clinical care in Oncology is outstanding. Through this collaboration, we aim to synergize IACS’ scientific expertise with Ipsen’s drug development capabilities to deliver innovative therapies more rapidly to patients in need, and advance patient care in Oncology”

MD Anderson and Ipsen also will collaborate to conduct additional pre-clinical studies to further explore the potential of the drug candidate’s mode-of-action and expanded indications. The detailed financial terms of the agreement, including development and commercial milestones and royalties, have not been disclosed.

“We believe this partnership has the potential to deliver a new therapeutic option to our patients,” said Stephen Hahn, M.D., chief medical executive at MD Anderson. “This focus on accelerating the development of efficient treatments is vital to our mission of ending cancer and to providing the very best care we can to those who need it most.”