G3 Pharmaceuticals has signed an exclusive Global Development and Option Agreement with Nestlé Health Science, for the development of plant-derived galectin-3 inhibitors for use in nutritional solutions.
Massachusetts-based G3 is pursuing research and development of carbohydrate galectin-3 inhibitors for oral use for the management of galectin-3 dependent conditions such as heart failure and chronic kidney disease.
Galectin-3 is an unusual protein, which numerous studies have reported as important in the development and progression of a range of medical conditions, including heart failure and kidney disease. Many studies have used plant-derived carbohydrate inhibitors to demonstrate the potential benefits of anti-galectin-3 therapy. These complex carbohydrates bind to a special part of the galectin-3 protein known as the carbohydrate recognition domain.
G3 Pharmaceuticals has discovered a new class of carbohydrate galectin-3 inhibitors derived from a common food crop. Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate in the development, manufacture, preclinical and clinical testing of galectin-3 inhibitors for use in nutritional products.
Nestlé Health Science will provide funding for the research and development activities and G3 Pharmaceuticals will be eligible for certain milestone payments. According to the agreement, Nestlé Health Science has an option to obtain exclusive global commercial rights to the G3 Pharmaceuticals’ galectin-3 inhibitors for use in nutritional products.
“We set out to discover and develop pharmaceutical galectin-3 inhibitors by chemically modifying plant-derived starting materials,” said Pieter Muntendam, MD, Founder and CEO of G3 Pharmaceuticals, “Instead we found a way to develop food-grade highly active inhibitors that could form the basis for health and medical foods that may one day contribute to the prevention and treatment of galectin-3 dependent disorders.”
