Amorsa, Janssen partner on nervous system disorder treatment

Amorsa Therapeutics, a neuropharmaceutical company specializing in treating nervous system disorders, has entered a partnership with Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Through an option and license agreement, Janssen will gain worldwide exclusivity for one of Amorsa’s preclinical drug candidates. Amorsa will develop the product at the pre-clinical stage, while Janssen will take on responsibility for subsequent clinical, regulatory and commercial development. Amorsa will be paid upfront and receive funding for research in the agreement, which is being facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation.
"Janssen is an ideal partner for this program," Amorsa CEO Joe Blanchard said in a statement. "We are thrilled to be working with Janssen to help us address one of the most serious unmet medical needs of today – treatment-resistant depression."  
The drug will be based on Amorsa’s proprietary ketamine analog technology; the company’s products aim to be rapidly acting antidepressants with an extended duration of action.
Amorsa was founded in 2013 to treat nervous system disorders -- including moderate-to-severe pain and treatment-resistant depression -- by using breakthrough products and technology. Its leadership team comes with a lengthy track record in developing novel therapeutic treatments.