Key takeaways:

• Oculis will acquire all worldwide rights to privosegtor from Accure Therapeutics.
• Privosegtor is being investigated for optic neuropathies and acute MS relapses.

Editor’s note: This is a developing news story. Please check back soon for updates.

Oculis will acquire all worldwide development and commercial rights to privosegtor, Accure Therapeutics’ lead candidate for optic neuritis, according to a press release.

Oculis will acquire all worldwide development and commercial rights to privosegtor, Accure Therapeutics’ lead candidate for optic neuritis. Image: Adobe Stock

The transaction will include a $3.8 million up-front cash payment from Oculis, with up to 2,050,000 shares to be issued to Accure for the complete acquisition of both privosegtor, also known as ACT-01, and ACT-02, a preclinical neurology drug candidate. Up-front shares will be subject to lockup release over a period of up to 2 years, and earnout shares will be “subject to vesting upon achievement of development and regulatory milestones related to the assets,” the release said.

Oculis anticipates the closing for privosegtor to occur by Feb. 28, 2027.

“By terminating our legacy license agreement with Accure, we can secure global commercial rights to this unique, long-term asset at significantly reduced royalties as we build a leadership position in neuro-ophthalmology,” Riad Sherif, MD, CEO of Oculis, said in the release. “This transaction comes at an opportune time, as privosegtor is advancing rapidly through key regulatory milestones, including the ongoing PIONEER-1 registrational trial for optic neuritis and an expected [investigational new drug] submission for acute MS relapse later this year. We remain confident in privosegtor’s potential to address significant unmet needs across optic neuropathies and neuroaxonal diseases while delivering long-term value to shareholders.”

As Healio previously reported, the FDA granted breakthrough therapy designation to the novel peptoid small molecule for the treatment of optic neuritis in January.