Tibotec will not continue its option on Avexa’s early stage HIV integrase program and the agreement will be allowed to expire effective March 2nd. Tibotec has chosen to let the option period expire due to potential future conflicts with its own internal programs. During the exclusivity period Tibotec profiled a number of Avexa compounds, which have shown a high level of potency and activity against raltegravir resistant enzymes that validate Avexa’s results.

Avexa will continue to interact with Tibotec on a non–exclusive basis, and upon the expiration of the option, Avexa will be able to discuss collaborations and licensing of the program with other parties. Avexa retains all of the intellectual property and data from the program generated by the two companies during their interaction. “Over the option period with Tibotec we have made considerable progress with our HIV Integrase Program. We now have a number of very exciting and potent leads with activity against HIV  resistant to other integrase inhibitors,” stated Dr Jonathan Coates, Chief Scientific Officer of Avexa.