G3 Pharma inks partnership with Nestlé Health Science

For the development of plant-derived galectin-3 inhibitors for use in nutritional solutions

G3 Pharmaceuticals, a development-stage biopharmaceutical company located in the US, has announced the signing of an exclusive Global Development and Option Agreement with Nestlé Health Science, for the development of plant-derived galectin-3 inhibitors for use in nutritional solutions.

G3 Pharmaceuticals is pursuing research and development of carbohydrate galectin-3 inhibitors for oral use for the management of galectin-3 dependent conditions such as heart failure and chronic kidney disease.   

Galectin-3 is an unusual protein that was first described in the 1970’s.   Since its discovery it has been the subject of extensive scientific interest and over the past 15 years there have been over 3,000 articles in scientific literature about galectin-3.   Numerous studies have reported on the important role that galectin-3 plays in the development and progression of a range of medical conditions, including heart failure and kidney disease.    Many studies used plant-derived carbohydrate inhibitors to demonstrate the potential benefits of anti-galectin-3 therapy.    These complex carbohydrates bind to a special part of the galectin-3 protein known as the carbohydrate recognition domain.   G3 Pharmaceuticals has discovered a new class of carbohydrate galectin-3 inhibitors derived from a common food crop. 

Under the Global Development & Option agreement G3 Pharmaceuticals and Nestlé Health Science will collaborate in the development, manufacture, preclinical and clinical testing of galectin-3 inhibitors for use in nutritional products. Nestlé Health Science will provide funding for the research and development activities and G3 Pharmaceuticals will be eligible for certain milestone payments.   According to the agreement, Nestlé Health Science has an option to obtain exclusive global commercial rights to the G3 Pharmaceuticals’ galectin-3 inhibitors for use in nutritional products.