• Merck will pay up to $576 million for the acquisition
   
• Preclinical TRPML1 has the potential to treat neurodegenerative and lysosomal disorders

COI Pharmaceuticals has recently announced that Merck, also called MSD outside Canada and the United States, has acquired Calporta Therapeutics, Inc. Calporta is involved in developing selective small molecular agonists to TRPML1. The latter plays a major role in lysosomal function through promoting the lysosomal exocytosis and autophagy.

The preclinical stage TRPML1 agonists of Calporta is under evaluation due to its potential to be able to treat several neurodegenerative and lysosomal disorders. These disorders also include Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.

Apparently, Merck has acquired Calporta for a possible consideration of up to $576 million via an upfront payment as well as contingent milestone payments.

CEO of Calporta and the senior vice president at business development of COI Pharmaceuticals, Sanford J. Madigan, Ph.D., commented that the agreement with Merck will prove to be a significant milestone in the quick development of a novel therapeutic approach which will help millions suffering from degenerative disorders that occurs due to the accumulation of fats, proteins as well as other cellular macromolecules.

Vice president of neuroscience discovery at Merck Research Laboratories, Fiona Marshall Ph.D., stated that a rising number of evidence points towards the accumulation of toxic proteins being a common mechanism in neurodegenerative conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Marshall further states that the company is looking forward to conducting more research for the evaluation of the potential of TRPML1 agonists to activate a clearance mechanism that the brain employs to be able to clear toxic proteins.

Changes in the TRPML1 function have been involved in numerous neurodegenerative diseases as well as dystrophies wherein the intracellular accumulation of all the fats and proteins have been revealed as toxic to the cells. The activation of TRPL1 signaling with the small molecules can restore the cellular functions and reestablish lysosomal processes.

Source Credit- https://www.coipharma.com/coi-pharmaceuticals-announces-acquisition-of-calporta-by-merck/