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Zalicus

Biotech & Life Sciences · Cambridge, United States · Founded 2000

Zalicus Inc. operated as a biopharmaceutical company with a primary focus on developing treatments for pain and inflammation. The company's origins trace back to CombinatoRx, Incorporated, which was founded in 2000. A significant transformation occurred in December 2009 when CombinatoRx merged with Neuromed Pharmaceuticals. This merger was a strategic move to combine product assets, discovery capabilities, and financial resources. Following the integration of the two companies, CombinatoRx officially rebranded to Zalicus Inc. on September 9, 2010, trading under the NASDAQ ticker ZLCS. The new name was chosen to reflect the company's evolved focus on pain and inflammation therapeutics. Zalicus's business model centered on its proprietary drug discovery platforms. The company utilized a selective ion-channel modulation platform and a combination High Throughput Screening (cHTS) technology. These platforms were engineered to identify and develop novel drug candidates, particularly by creating compounds that could selectively block ion channels in neuronal cells responsible for pain signals. Revenue was generated through collaborations with larger pharmaceutical companies, involving milestone payments for clinical and regulatory achievements and tiered royalties on net sales of commercialized products. One such significant collaboration was with Mallinckrodt, which acquired the rights to Exalgo™, an extended-release pain medication. This deal included upfront payments, development funding, a substantial milestone payment upon FDA approval, and ongoing royalties. The company's product pipeline included several candidates at various stages of development. Its flagship commercial product was Exalgo®, for managing moderate to severe pain in opioid-tolerant patients. Another key candidate was Synavive™, developed for treating immuno-inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. The pipeline also featured candidates from its ion channel program, such as Z160 and Z944, which were being developed for neuropathic, acute, and inflammatory pain. In May 2014, the CombinatoRx service business and its cHTS platform were acquired by Horizon Discovery Group for $8 million. Subsequently, in July 2014, Zalicus itself merged with EPIRUS Biopharmaceuticals in a reverse merger transaction, with the combined entity being renamed EPIRUS Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. The Zalicus Pharmaceuticals entity was later acquired by Taro Pharmaceutical Industries in October 2015. Keywords: Zalicus, CombinatoRx, biopharmaceutical, pain management, inflammation treatment, Neuromed Pharmaceuticals, Exalgo, Synavive, ion channel modulation, drug discovery, reverse merger, EPIRUS Biopharmaceuticals, Taro Pharmaceutical, high throughput screening, Z160, Z944, clinical trials, royalty revenue, pharmaceutical collaboration, neuropathic pain