Biotie Therapies

Biotie Therapies was a Finnish biotechnology company founded in 1998 that specialized in developing drugs for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. The company's formation resulted from a merger in 2002 between Biotie Therapies Corp., Oy Contral Pharma Ltd, and Carbion Inc. Throughout its history, Biotie expanded through strategic acquisitions, including the German pharmaceutical company Elbion GmbH in 2008 and Synosia Therapeutics in 2011. A significant milestone for the company was the European marketing authorization for its alcohol dependence treatment, Selincro (nalmefene), in 2013, which was commercialized by its partner H. Lundbeck A/S.

The company's business model was centered on the research and development of therapeutics for central nervous system disorders, targeting conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and alcohol dependence. Revenue was generated through partnerships, milestone payments, and royalties from commercialized products like Selincro. Biotie focused on addressing unmet medical needs in its target markets, developing a pipeline of product candidates. In January 2016, Biotie Therapies was acquired by the U.S.-based Acorda Therapeutics for approximately $363 million, a move intended to position Acorda as a key player in Parkinson's disease therapeutic development.

Prior to its acquisition, Biotie's most advanced product candidate was Tozadenant, an oral adenosine A2a receptor antagonist for Parkinson's disease, which was in Phase 3 development. This drug aimed to reduce the "off" time experienced by patients, where motor symptoms re-emerge despite treatment. The pipeline also included SYN120 for Parkinson's-related dementia, BTT1023 for a chronic liver disease, and Selincro, a treatment for reducing alcohol consumption that functions by diminishing the desire to drink. Following the acquisition, Acorda gained worldwide rights to these clinical-stage assets. However, in November 2017, the development of tozadenant was discontinued due to severe adverse events observed in the Phase 3 trial.

Keywords: neurodegenerative disorders, central nervous system, Parkinson's disease, drug development, biotechnology, alcohol dependence, clinical trials, biopharmaceutical, therapeutic development, Acorda Therapeutics