Animalcare acquires VHH NGF programme from Orthros Medical for €0.7m

Published 22/08/2025, 07:08
Animalcare acquires VHH NGF programme from Orthros Medical for €0.7m

LONDON - Animalcare Group plc (AIM:ANCR) has acquired the VHH NGF programme and related assets from Orthros Medical (TASE:BLWV) for €0.7 million in cash, the company announced Friday.

The acquisition terminates a license agreement previously signed with Orthros Medical in March 2022 and gives Animalcare full ownership and control of the intellectual property.

The VHH NGF programme is researching antibodies for treating pain caused by osteoarthritis in horses and dogs. The assets under development could complement Animalcare’s existing COX-2 inhibitor, Daxocox, which is approved for treating osteoarthritis-related pain in dogs.

With full ownership of the assets, Animalcare plans to explore additional programmes across various species and diseases where NGF plays a role. The transaction eliminates future financial obligations under the previous license agreement, which included development, regulatory and commercial milestones and royalties on net sales.

Animalcare has partnered with 272Bio, a biotherapeutics company specializing in VHH antibody technology, to advance the programme. The company reports making strong progress with the lead equine asset, with early results reinforcing confidence in the programme’s potential.

VHH antibodies are derived from camelids like llamas and alpacas. They are smaller than traditional antibodies, relatively easy to engineer, have high specificity, and can be quickly cleared from the system.

Animalcare Group operates in seven European countries as well as Australia, New Zealand, and the UAE, with exports to approximately 40 countries worldwide.

This information is based on a press release statement from Animalcare Group plc.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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