The McQuade Center for Strategic Research and Development, LLC (MSRD) announced today that it has entered an agreement with Rugen Holdings (Cayman) Limited, doing business as Rugen Therapeutics (Rugen). MSRD is a member of the global Otsuka family of pharmaceutical companies. Rugen Therapeutics a pre-clinical biotechnology company focused on the development of novel treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
The agreement will support the clinical development of therapeutics for patients living with a broad range of psychiatric disorders including treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Under the terms of the agreement, MSRD and Rugen will collaborate to advance Rugen’s orally administered drug candidate through Phase 1b clinical trials with the opportunity to expand the collaboration after those studies. The initial proof-of-concept studies focused on treatment for TRD.
Rugen Holdings (Cayman) Limited, d.b.a. Rugen Therapeutics, is a biotech company focused on the discovery of small-molecule drugs with the potential to address multiple psychiatric indications. Rugen was founded by the F-Prime Biomedical Research Initiative (FBRI), which seeks to advance the discovery of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of neurological disorders by funding early-stage research in academia and the private sector.
Established in 2019 by the Otsuka pharmaceutical business in the U.S., the mission of MSRD is to search for, identify, and fund innovative early-stage research and development programs for the benefit of Otsuka products. Otsuka is dedicated to investing in innovative and creative products in areas of unmet need and MSRD was created as an extension of this commitment to support and identify early stage opportunities that can change the landscape of treatments for mental illness and renal disorders.
This was reported by Otsuka on October 30, 2020.
Contact information: Otsuka, 508 Carnegie Center, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, 609-524-6788; Email: contact@otsuka-us.com; Website: www.otsuka-us.com
Contact information: Rugen Holdings Ltd., 2nd Floor Gaspé House 66-72 Esplanade, Saint Helier, Jersey JE1 1GH