Argenta Discovery, Dr. Reddy's Advance Candidate to Preclinical Development

UK’s Argenta Discovery and India’s Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories have selected the first candidate to proceed into preclinical development resulting from their collaboration to treat chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe asthma.

Christopher Ashton, Argenta’s CEO, said the companies are on target to enter Phase I in mid-2008 and Phase II in 2009.

Under the terms of the February 2006 agreement, the companies will identify candidates against an undisclosed but proven anti-inflammatory drug target and bring them to Phase II proof-of-concept.