Array BioPharma Inc. and Amgen Inc. announced that they entered into an agreement granting Amgen exclusive worldwide rights to Array’s small-molecule glucokinase activator program, including ARRY-403, currently being tested in a Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with type 2 diabetes. Amgen will pay $60 million up-front with additional potential milestones and royalties payments to Array.
The glucokinase (GK) activator ARRY-403 is a member of a new class of drugs targeting type 2 diabetes. Activating GK with small molecules such as ARRY-403 lowers blood glucose levels by enhancing the ability of the pancreas to sense glucose, which leads to increased insulin production. Simultaneously, glucokinase activators increase the net uptake of blood glucose by the liver.
