French biopharmaceutical company Pharnext has announced a research and development (R&D) agreement with Galapagos to generate a new pipeline of synergistic drug combinations.

The agreement will initially be based on Pharnext’s disruptive technological platform, known as Pleotherapy.

The platform has enabled the discovery of low dose combinations of approved drugs repositioned in a new indication, and aims to develop safer treatments for unmet medical needs.

Pharnext co-founder and CEO Daniel Cohen said: "The R&D collaboration with Galapagos validates the value of Pharnext’s innovative platform, Pleotherapy.

"Moreover, this collaboration will enlarge our product portfolio with drug combinations including also new compounds."

"The R&D collaboration with Galapagos validates the value of Pharnext’s innovative platform, Pleotherapy."

Pharnext said that the agreement with Galapagos demonstrates its ability to reinforce the potential of new candidate drugs.

This agreement will concern therapeutic indications that were primarily envisioned by Galapagos in addition to others that will be identified by Pharnext.

It contains therapeutic indications such as immunoinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders, which represent potentially substantial markets.

Each of the companies will have priority on indications that were allocated earlier.

Galapagos and Pharnext will jointly own intellectual property with regards to synergistic drug combinations generated by the R&D agreement.

Pharnext currently focuses on neurodegenerative diseases and has two lead products, PXT3003 and PXT864, in clinical development.