Press Release
January 9, 2023

STALICLA Signs Exclusive In-Licensing Agreement with Novartis to Develop Late-Stage Clinical Neuropsychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Disorder Treatment

The Life Sciences team advised STALICLA SA in its exclusive in-licensing agreement with Novartis to develop mavoglurant as a treatment for substance-use disorder, neurodevelopmental disorders, and other indications. Under the terms of the agreement, STALICLA acquired worldwide rights to mavoglurant in exchange for upfront fees and equity, and development and commercial milestones of up $270 million, plus royalties on possible future sales.

Mavoglurant is a selective non allosteric metabotropic glutamate receptor 5, or mGluR5, antagonist. mGluR5 has been tied to mood disorders, addiction as well as rare and common forms of autism. It is believed that mavoglurant acts through the inhibition of mGluR5, and in the case of substance-use disorder patients, with no inducement of withdrawal symptoms.

STALICLA is a precision molecular neuroscience clinical stage biotech company, advancing the first precision medicine platform for patients with neurodevelopmental disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders.

The Goodwin team was led by Tim Worden, Kristopher Brown and Lucy Charlton.

For additional details on the agreement, please read the press release.