Aquinox, Astellas Mull Options As Rosiptor Fails

Astellas’ late-stage bet on Aquinox’s urology drug now looks highly unlikely to pay off following the molecule’s “definitive” failure in a Phase III trial, which is also forcing the originator to consider its business  and R&D options.

Empty dirt road which splits in two, concept for life choices or decisions
ROSIPTOR FAILURE PROMPTS AQUINOX STRATEGIC REVIEW • Source: Shutterstock

Astellas Pharma Inc.’s late-stage gamble on the success of Aquinox Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s lead drug candidate in its pivotal clinical trial and initial planned indication looks set to cost the Japanese major $25m with considerably reduced prospects of any commercial pay off down the road, given rosiptor’s “definitive” failure in Phase III.

The first-in-class, once-daily oral activator of SHIP1 (SH2-containing inositol-5’-phosphatase 1), also known as AQX-1125, was in a US/European Phase III...

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