Shasun Pharmaceuticals, a global pharmaceutical contracting organization, and Debiopharm Group, a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group focused on unmet medical needs, entered into a licensing agreement for the manufacturing and commercialization of Huperzine-A.

Huperzine-A is a potent and reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and clinical studies have shown a significant improvement in memory deficit and cognitive performance in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Huperzine-A is commercially available through Shasun Pharmaceuticals.

Shasun Pharmaceuticals will be able to use the Debiopharm technology for the manufacture of synthetic Huperzine-A under GMP quality conditions and commercialize it in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets. The manufacturing technology involves a 10-stage chemical synthesis process including a complex chiral organometallic step as a key transformation of the Huperzine-A structure. The synthesis is a result of a joint collaboration between Shasun's research centers in Chennai and the U.K. This technology was recently recognized and awarded at the North East of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC), Innovation Awards in 2012.

"We are very proud of this achievement, resulting from a very close collaboration with Debiopharm,” said Dr. Michel Spagnol, president of Shasun Pharmaceuticals. “It underlines our commitment to delivering cutting-edge science in all our processes through our global research and development network."