Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co Ltd on Thursday announced a new licence agreement to discover and develop additional novel therapeutics for non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) diseases and tuberculosis (TB) under a partnership with Hsiri Therapeutics Inc.

The new research and development partnership will include technology that complements Shionogi's earlier collaboration arrangement with Hsiri. Shionogi's research and development targets infectious diseases including multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) and Shionogi's social mission target is protecting people from the threat of infectious diseases.

Hsiri's new technology has a novel mechanism of action and will be complementary to Shionogi's current research with Hsiri, which is anticipated to be more effective than current therapies for mycobacterial infections. Shionogi's strength in small molecule drug discovery and development in the antibacterial area and will support development of Hsiri's innovative therapeutics in this collaborative programme.

Through this agreement, Shionogi will have exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise the compounds generated from the collaboration.

In conjunction with the agreement, Hsiri will receive an upfront licence fee, potential development milestones and royalty payments based on sales from Shionogi.