Licensing Partners

In 2006 we entered into an agreement with Pfizer, Inc. under which Pfizer acquired an exclusive worldwide license to siRNA molecules that modify expression or function of our proprietary gene target, RTP801, including Quark’s lead siRNA PF-655 for ophthalmic and non–ophthalmic indications.
Pfizer is currently conducting two Phase II studies in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Our development team actively collaborates with Pfizer in performing the clinical studies, supporting Pfizer globally and conducting the trial on behalf of Pfizer in several centers in Israel.

Pursuant to the agreement, Quark is eligible to receive various development and sales-based milestone payments for each indication and royalties from sales.

Novartis Option Agreement

In August 2010, Quark granted Novartis an option for an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize QPI-1002 and any other p53-directed siRNAs controlled by Quark for any indication. Under the agreement, Novartis paid Quark a non-refundable option grant fee and has the right to exercise the option during or following the Phase II trials of QPI-1002. Quark is fully responsible for conducting these Phase II clinical trials.

Nitto Denko Collaboration Agreement

In July 2010, Quark entered into a collaboration and license agreement with Nitto Denko Corporation, Japan’s leading diversified materials manufacturer for the development of siRNA therapeutics for the treatment of fibrotic diseases. The collaboration is designed to develop siRNA drugs using Quark’s RNAi technologies and internally developed novel siRNA structures and Nitto Denko’s drug delivery technologies for novel therapeutic concepts, currently owned by Nitto Denko. Nitto Denko will fully fund Quark’s initial research and will be responsible for the remaining development, and for the worldwide commercialization of any resulting product.

Quark BiFAR™ Discovery Collaborations

Since 1995 we have entered into several collaboration agreements with the pharmaceutical companies Mitsubishi Pharma Corporation (2 agreements in 3 therapeutic areas), Sankyo Co., Ltd (3 agreements in 3 therapeutic areas), Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Astellas Pharma Inc (2 agreements in 2 therapeutic areas), Shionogi & Co., Ltd and Astra Zeneca. These agreements involved application of the BiFARTM platform in Quark laboratories to discover novel target genes potentially suitable for drug development in a specific disease indication of interest to the partner. Our research was fully funded by the collaborating partner. Several of these companies opted to enter into multiple separate collaboration and license agreements in different disease indications.

Our BiFAR™ discovery efforts have yielded a number of target genes deemed suitable by our partners for the development of therapies to treat the diseases of interest. Each of our partners selected a number of such targets for further development under exclusive milestone and royalty bearing licenses from Quark. We are entitled to use all non-selected targets in our own internal programs. In several agreements with our Japanese pharmaceutical partners, we were granted certain commercialization rights in major countries outside of Asia, including the United States and major European countries.