Global veterinary pharmaceutical specialist acquires innovative insulin programs

Photo: Alexander Lebedko/Adobe Stock

Dechra Limited, a specialist in veterinary pharmaceuticals and related products business, has purchased Akston Biosciences Corporation’s long-acting veterinary insulin programs. The purchase gives Dechra—a global subsidiary of Dechra Pharmaceuticals Limited—ownership of the intellectual property and rights for the development, manufacturing, and worldwide commercialization of the canine and feline candidate therapies.¹

“The sale of our interests in these programs is the culmination of years of product development from the selection and optimization of lead candidates to successful proof-of-concept studies in diabetic dogs and cats, and finally to process development, GMP manufacturing, and scale-up to commercial production levels,” Todd Zion, PhD, president and CEO of Akston Biosciences, said in a news release.¹

In 2019, the 2 companies signed a licensing and supply agreement for the co-development and commercialization of a long-acting insulin for the treatment of diabetes in dogs that Akston invented. A similar agreement for a long-acting insulin for treating cats with diabetes was signed in 2021.¹

Developmental products included in the partnership include Akston’s most advanced animal health candidates, the once-a-week insulin therapies AKS-321d for canine diabetes and AKS-425c for feline diabetes.² According to Akston, these product candidates have the potential to significantly improve the current standard of care, while enhancing the quality of life for pets with diabetes and their owners by replacing twice daily injection regimens with a once-a-week insulin therapy.³ These longer-acting therapies are not yet available on the veterinary market and a timeline for their commercial availability has not been disclosed.

Patrick Meeus, DVM, PhD, DACVM, chief scientific officer of Dechra, said the company is enthusiastic about commercializing the newly acquired insulin therapies for treating diabetes in dogs and cats. “The acquisition of these breakthrough programs is a great example of Dechra’s commitment to improving animal health and welfare through innovation. We thank Akston for all their hard work and dedication in helping us bring these innovative products closer to reality,” Meeus said in a news release.¹

In exchange for its veterinary insulin programs, Akston is receiving an upfront cash payment, fees to support technology transfer, and near-term milestone payments based on the program's development progress. “We look forward to Dechra taking these programs through late-stage clinical trials and commercial introduction while Akston focuses on developing our strong pipeline of animal health product candidates in obesity, cancer, chronic pain, and atopic dermatitis,” Zion said in the release.¹

Development of both veterinary insulin therapies is based on Akston Biosciences' Ambifect Fc-fusion protein platform, which has enabled the company to develop therapeutic candidates that interact with parts of the immune system related to the target disease and minimize the effects off-target. Through this technology, therapeutic development time and manufacturing costs across its pipeline can be reduced, according to the company.⁴

The Ambifect Fc-fusion platform was recognized with the Most Innovative Award at the 2023 Animal Health Corridor Summit in Kansas City, Missouri. During the summit, hosted by the KC Animal Health Corridor organization, Zion presented Akston Biosciences’ work on developing these novel canine and feline diabetes that rely on monoclonal antibodies. He noted that the company had invested in its own manufacturing facility and was leveraging technology to find cost-effective, efficient methods to address various needs in the animal health space. “We really believe that the veterinary field health field is poised to experience its own revolution in this area,” Zion said at the summit.⁴

References

1. Dechra purchases veterinary insulin programs from Akston Biosciences. News release. Dechra. July 30, 2024. Accessed July 30, 2024. https://www.akstonbio.com/dechra-purchases-veterinary-insulin-programs-from-akston-biosciences/
2. Therapeutics developer turns its focus to companion animal health. dvm360. August 18, 2023. Accessed July 30, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/therapeutics-developer-turns-its-focus-to-companion-animal-health
3. Akston Biosciences receives 2023 Most Innovative Award at Animal Health Summit. News release. Akston Biosciences. August 31, 2023. Accessed July 30, 2024. https://www.akstonbio.com/akston-biosciences-receives-2023-most-innovative-award-at-animal-health-summit/
4. Coppock K. Animal health therapeutic development platform demonstrates versatility. March 12, 2024. Accessed July 30, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/therapeutic-development-platform-demonstrates-versatility