In a bid to bolster its gastroenterology portfolio, Alfa Wassermann has partnered with Theravance to advance the development of velusetrag (TD-5108), an oral 5-HT4 agonist in development for gastrointestinal motility disorders. Alfa Wassermann will fund a two-part Phase II programme for the drug in gastroparesis and has the right to exercise an exclusive option to develop and commercialise the drug in the EU, Russia, China, Mexico and certain other countries if the Phase II results are sufficiently encouraging.