NicOx

Last updated
Nicox S.A.
Type Société Anonyme
Euronext:  COX
Founded1996 (1996)
Headquarters,
Website www.nicox.com

Nicox S.A. is a French ophthalmology company developing treatments to maintain vision and improve ocular health. [1] Nicox is headquartered in Sophia Antipolis, France, and its Chairman and CEO is Michele Garufi. [2] [3]

Contents

Nicox is listed on Euronext Paris [4] (Compartment B: Mid-Caps; Ticker symbol: COX) and is part of the CAC Healthcare, CAC Pharma & Bio and Next 150 indexes. Its pipeline includes three programs in development, and it has two U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved products. [5]

Pipeline

Nicox's lead program in clinical development is NCX 470, a novel, second-generation nitric oxide-donating bimatoprost analog, for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with glaucoma. [6] NCX 470 is designed to release both bimatoprost, which is marketed under the brand name LUMIGAN, and nitric oxide following instillation into the eye. Bimatoprost is a prostaglandin analog, the most widely used class of drugs for IOP lowering in patients with open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. [7] [8]

The company is also developing NCX 4251, a proprietary formulation of fluticasone, for acute exacerbations of blepharitis. [9] Nicox generates revenue from VYZULTA(R) in glaucoma and ZERVIATE(TM), or cetirizine ophthalmic solution, in allergic conjunctivitis. It has ongoing partnerships with Bausch & Lomb, Eyevance Pharmaceuticals and Ocumension Therapeutics. [10] [11]

Agreement with Ocumension

In 2019 Nicox and Ocumension Therapeutics signed an agreement to allow Ocumension the rights to develop and commercialize Zerviate, a certirizine ophthalmic solution, for the Chinese and South East Asian markets. The deal would see Nicox eligibile for up to $17.2 million, along with tiered royalties of between 5 and 9% of the net sales. In July 2021 the deal was amended and Ocumension paid $2 million to Nicox as an advance payment of the future development and regulatory milestones. [12]

Related Research Articles

Prostaglandin analogues are a class of drugs that bind to a prostaglandin receptor.

Latanoprost

Latanoprost, sold under the brand name Xalatan among others, is a medication used to treat increased pressure inside the eye. This includes ocular hypertension and open angle glaucoma. It is applied as eye drops to the eyes. Onset of effects is usually within four hours, and they last for up to a day.

Sitaxentan

Sitaxentan sodium (TBC-11251) is a medication for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It was marketed as Thelin by Encysive Pharmaceuticals until Pfizer purchased Encysive in February 2008. In 2010, Pfizer voluntarily removed sitaxentan from the market due to concerns about liver toxicity.

Timolol Chemical compound

Timolol is a beta blocker medication used either by mouth or as eye drops. As eye drops it is used to treat increased pressure inside the eye such as in ocular hypertension and glaucoma. By mouth it is used for high blood pressure, chest pain due to insufficient blood flow to the heart, to prevent further complications after a heart attack, and to prevent migraines.

Bimatoprost

Bimatoprost, sold under the brand name Lumigan among others, is a medication used to treat high pressure inside the eye including glaucoma. Specifically it is used for open angle glaucoma when other agents are not sufficient. It may also be used to increase the size of the eyelashes. It is used as an eye drop and effects generally occur within four hours.

Difluprednate Corticosteroid drug

Difluprednate is a corticosteroid, It is chemically a butyrate ester of 6(alpha),9(alpha)-difluoro prednisolone acetate. Accordingly, difluprednate is sometimes abbreviated DFBA, for difluoroprednisolone butyrate acetate.

Levobetaxolol

Levobetaxolol is a drug used to lower the pressure in the eye in treating conditions such as glaucoma. It is marketed as a 0.25 or 0.5% ophthalmic solution of levobetaxolol hydrochloride under the trade name Betaxon. Levobetaxolol is a beta-adrenergic receptor inhibitor.

Unoprostone

Unoprostone (INN) is a prostaglandin analogue. Its isopropyl ester, unoprostone isopropyl, was marketed under the trade name Rescula for the management of open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Prostaglandin F receptor Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Prostaglandin F receptor (FP) is a receptor belonging to the prostaglandin (PG) group of receptors. FP binds to and mediates the biological actions of Prostaglandin F (PGF). It is encoded in humans by the PTGFR gene.

COX-inhibiting nitric oxide donators (CINODs), also known as NO-NSAIDs, are a new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) developed with the intention of providing greater safety than existing NSAIDs.

Naproxcinod (nitronaproxen) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) developed by the French pharmaceutical company NicOx. It is a derivative of naproxen with a nitroxybutyl ester to allow it to also act as a nitric oxide (NO) donor. This second mechanism of action makes naproxcinod the first in a new class of drugs, the cyclooxygenase inhibiting nitric oxide donators (CINODs), that are hoped to produce similar analgesic efficacy to traditional NSAIDs, but with less gastrointestinal and cardiovascular side effects.

Brimonidine/timolol, sold under the brand name Combigan, is a fixed-dose combination medication eye drop indicated for the treatment of glaucoma. It is a combination of brimonidine and timolol, in concentrations of 0.2% and 0.5% respectively. Both substances work by decreasing the synthesis of aqueous humor.

Tafluprost

Tafluprost is a prostaglandin analogue. It is used topically to control the progression of open-angle glaucoma and in the management of ocular hypertension, alone or in combination with other medication. It reduces intraocular pressure by increasing the outflow of aqueous fluid from the eyes.

Riociguat

Riociguat is a drug by Bayer that is a stimulator of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). It is used to treat two forms of pulmonary hypertension (PH): chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Riociguat constitutes the first drug of the class of sGC stimulators. The drug has a half-life of 12 hours and will decrease dyspnea associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Ifetroban

Ifetroban is a potent and selective thromboxane receptor antagonist. It has been studied in animal models for the treatment of cancer metastasis, myocardial ischemia, hypertension, stroke, thrombosis, cardiomyopathy, and for its effects on platelets. Clinical trials are evaluating the therapeutic safety and efficacy of oral ifetroban capsules for the treatment of cancer metastasis, cardiovascular disease, aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease, systemic sclerosis, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Glaucoma medication Eye condition medication

Glaucoma medication is divided into groups based on chemical structure and pharmacologic action. The goal of currently available glaucoma therapy is to preserve visual function by lowering intraocular pressure (IOP), below a level that is likely to produce further damage to the nerve.

Ripasudil, a derivative of fasudil, is a rho kinase inhibitor drug used for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Bimatoprost/timolol, sold under the brand name Ganfort, is a medication for the treatment of certain conditions involving high pressure in the eyes, specifically open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. It is available as eye drops.

Posner–Schlossman syndrome (PSS) also known as glaucomatocyclitic crisis (GCC) is a rare acute ocular condition with unilateral attacks of mild granulomatous anterior uveitis and elevated intraocular pressure. It is sometimes considered as a secondary inflammatory glaucoma.

Omidenepag isopropyl

Omidenepag isopropyl is a pharmaceutical drug used for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

References

  1. "COX: Nicox Stock Price Quote - EN Paris - Bloomberg". Bloomberg News .
  2. "Here's a French Biotech Investors May Not Care About Enough". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
  3. "Michele Garufi, PDG de NicOx".
  4. "| live".
  5. "Nicox S.A. (NICXF) Stock Price Today, Quote & News | Seeking Alpha".
  6. Clinical trial number NCT03657797 for "Phase 2 Dose-Response Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of NCX 470 vs Latanoprost in Subjects With Open-Angle Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension" at ClinicalTrials.gov
  7. Sambhara, Deepak; Aref, Ahmad A. (2014). "Glaucoma management: relative value and place in therapy of available drug treatments". Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease. 5 (1): 30–43. doi:10.1177/2040622313511286. PMC   3871276 . PMID   24381726.
  8. "Prostaglandin analogs: The "gold standard" for glaucoma".
  9. Clinical trial number NCT03926026 for "Study Evaluating the Safety and Tolerability of NCX 4251 for the Treatment of Acute Exacerbations of Blepharitis" at ClinicalTrials.gov
  10. "NICOX: Nicox Announces ZERVIATE Launch by Partner Eyevance Pharmaceuticals in the United States". Bloomberg.com. 31 March 2020.
  11. "BRIEF-Nicox Updates Agreement with Ocumension Therapeutics on ZERVIATE". Reuters. 11 March 2020.
  12. NICOX (2021-07-05). "Nicox to Receive $2 Million from Ocumension Therapeutics as Advance Milestone Payment under ZERVIATE® Agreement". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2021-09-19.