Shire is developing
DP-VPA, a
prodrug of
valproic acid (VPA) licensed from D-Pharm, for the potential treatment of severe forms of
epilepsy, including
status epilepticus, acute repetitive
seizures in children and possibly
manic depression and
migraine [242649], [385958]; the
drug is also being developed for
bipolar disorder and
migraine prophylaxis [385862]. By March 2000, phase I trials had been completed [359581], [373232] and in October 2000, the compound entered phase II trials for the treatment of
epilepsy,
bipolar disorder and
migraine [385862]; these trials were ongoing in November 2001 [429470]. In October 2001, Shire initiated multicenter, multinational phase II trials of SPD-421 as add-on
therapy in the treatment of
complex partial seizures [425660]. In February 2002, Shire reported that it planned to make a decision regarding the future of the compound by the second half of 2002 [441819].
DP-VPA is based on D-Pharm's regulation activation of
prodrugs (RAP) technology, which designs drugs to be internalized within cells and to be activated only when the tissue becomes diseased. In the case of
DP-VPA, the pathological
epilepsy process activates it on demand [342433]. RAP-
prodrugs are composed of the active
drug moiety attached via a chemical linkage to a hydrophobic molecule which allows the agent to penetrate into the cell [182806]. In October 2000, D-Pharrm received patent US-06077837 from the USPTO covering novel '
Prodrugs with enhanced penetration into cells'. This patent claims
prodrugs, comprising a pharmacologically active compound covalently linked to an intracellular transporter by a bond which is preferentially cleaved by disease-associated supranormal
enzyme activity [385507]. In April 2000, Lehman Brothers predicted the launch of
DP-VPA during 2003 [365103]. In December 2001, Lehman Brothers suggested that the product would be approved in 2004. The analysts estimated a 25% probability of the
drug reaching the market, and envisaged peak sales of $200 million [434768]. Analysts at Schroder Salomon Smith Barney predicted in March 2002, that sales for Shire of
DP-VPA would reach US $9.5 million in 2005, rising to US $31 million in 2006 [449087].