Biogen has licensed a late-stage stroke drug from Remedy Pharmaceuticals. The US biotech will make an upfront payment of $120 million for Cirara (intravenous glyburide), as well as additional milestone payments and royalties.

The target indication for the drug is large hemispheric infarction (LHI), a severe form of ischemic stroke where brain swelling often leads to a disproportionately large share of stroke-related morbidity and death. Clinical proof-of-concept studies have shown that Cirara has the potential to reduce brain swelling, disability and the risk of death with LHI.

The US Food and Drug Administration has given fast track status to Cirara, which it has also designated as an orphan drug for severe brain swelling in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Biogen’s executive vice president of R&D, Michael Ehlers, said the candidate drug represents a potential breakthrough stroke treatment. He commented: “We believe the data supporting the potential of Cirara are compelling and that Cirara can be a first-in-class therapy that gives physicians the ability to meaningfully improve patient outcomes in an area where effective treatments have been few and far between.”

The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based group said the transaction complements its treatments for acute ischemic stroke. Biogen is currently conducting a Phase 2b study on its monoclonal antibody natalizumab to see if it can improve functional outcomes for patients with acute ischemic stroke by limiting brain inflammation in the post-stroke period.