Eiger BioPharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: EIGR) has signed two agreements concerning the investigational candidate lonafarnib for the treatment of Progeria, the rare diseases specialist announced on Wednesday.

Progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), is a rare and fatal genetic condition characterised by accelerated ageing in children. Occurring in approximately 400 children worldwide, Progeria is caused by a genetic mutation that results in an overabundance of a protein called progerin.

Eiger has expanded its licensing agreement with Merck & Co Inc (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, to include rights to develop lonafarnib for the treatment of Progeria. The expanded agreement provides Eiger with commercial and distribution rights to lonafarnib across the licensed and approved indications in the future.

The company is also preparing to evaluate lonafarnib in a Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection.

At the same time, Eiger has entered into a collaboration agreement with the Progeria Research Foundation (PRF), under which Eiger will provide lonafarnib at no cost for ongoing clinical trials and will be responsible for any potential filing of a New Drug Application for the Progeria indication based on PRF data.

Eiger said that it plans to seek guidance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding a potential regulatory approval of lonafarnib for the treatment of Progeria in children.