AbbVie has returned to the source of its antipsychotic powerhouse Vraylar in search of another blockbuster, paying $25 million upfront to form a new drug discovery pact with Gedeon Richter.
Richter researchers discovered Vraylar, a drug that made $774 million for AbbVie in the second quarter, in the early 2000s. AbbVie picked up rights to the product as part of its acquisition of Allergan. Although AbbVie inherited, rather than initiated, the Richter relationship, the Big Pharma has moved to strengthen its ties to the Hungary-based drugmaker since buying Allergan.
AbbVie and Richter teamed up to research, develop and commercialize dopamine receptor modulators in 2022. A little more than two years later, AbbVie began a phase 2 trial of the D3 dopamine receptor modulator ABBV-932 in bipolar I or II disorder. The molecule could also have a future in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.
Details of the targets of the latest collaboration between AbbVie and Richter are yet to emerge. So far, the partners have only said the discovery, co-development and license agreement “will advance novel targets for the potential treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions.” The partners will share R&D costs.
Richter will receive $25 million upfront in return for its role in that work. The agreement also features an undisclosed amount of development, regulatory and commercialization milestones and royalties. Putting up the cash has secured AbbVie global commercialization rights with the exception of “traditional markets of Richter, such as geographic Europe, Russia, other CIS countries and Vietnam.”
AbbVie is the latest in a series of companies to inherit and retain the relationship with Richter. Vraylar grew out of a collaboration between Richter and Forest Laboratories around 20 years ago. The molecule and Richter relationship became part of Allergan because of Actavis’ deal spree. Actavis bought Forest for $25 billion in 2014 and acquired Allergan for $66 billion the following year.
Actavis changed its name to Allergan once the takeover closed. AbbVie, with an eye on its post-Humira future, struck a deal to acquire Allergan for $63 billion in 2019. Vraylar has grown significantly under AbbVie, with sales in the second quarter of 2024 almost equaling revenue across all of 2019, and the company is now looking to repeat the trick with ABBV-932 and the new discovery program.