[ Industry Watch ] JAPAN
Astellas Entered into Global Partnership with Basilea for an Azole Antifungal Agent Isavuconazole
stellas Pharma Inc. announced territory whereas Basilea retains an with effective antifungals reduces that it has entered into a option to co-promote the product patient mortality. Alicense, co-development in the US, Canada, major European Astellas already has experience and co-promotion agreement with countries and China. Astellas will pay in the development and marketing Basilea Pharmaceutica International an upfront of CHF 75 million and up of Anti-Infective agents through the Ltd. (“Basilea”; a subsidiary of Basilea to CHF 478 million on achievement worldwide launch of its antifungal Pharmaceutica Ltd. (headquarters: of pre-specified development and agent Mycamine® (micafungin), Basel, Switzerland; CEO: Dr. Anthony sales milestones. Astellas will also and in November 2009, the Man)) for Basilea’s isavuconazole pay double-digit tiered royalties on launch in the United States of an on a worldwide basis, including an sales. antibiotic VIBATIVTM (telavancin). option for Japan. The companies will jointly VIBATIV is a once-daily injectable Isavuconazole, an azole participate in the development of antibiotic for the treatment of adult antifungal agent, is currently isavuconazole. Astellas will lead patients with complicated skin and undergoing international phase III the development and contribute skin structure infections (cSSSI) trials with centers in the US, Europe the majority of the investments caused by gram-positive pathogens and other regions in patients with required for completing the including MRSA. Astellas is liaising invasive fungal infections caused clinical development program with regulatory authorities to bring by Aspergillus or other filamentous investigating isavuconazole, and telavancin to patients in Europe as fungi (mold infections) and Candida Basilea will contribute the remaining part of its ongoing commitment to fungi (yeast infections). development costs. Basilea will challenging infectious diseases. This Pre-clinical and clinical initially manage manufacturing. new partnership is an important step data generated to date indicate Astellas has the right to take over to further expand our business and that isavuconazole shows high the management of manufacturing to reinforce Astellas’ presence and oral bioavailability; this provides and will bear manufacturing commitment in the area of infectious an option to develop both an costs for commercial supply and diseases. intravenous infusion and oral capsules. commercialization costs. Isavuconazole has predictable and Invasive fungal infections are life- About Astellas Pharma dose proportional pharmacokinetics threatening. Immunocompromised Astellas Pharma Inc., to fulfill its that are important in helping to individuals including cancer or business philosophy to "Contribute achieve adequate therapeutic drug transplant patients are at special toward improving the health of levels in patients with life-threatening risk of acquiring life-threatening people around the world through fungal infections. fungal infections, mainly caused by the provision of innovative and Under the terms of the Candida and Aspergillus species, reliable pharmaceutical products," agreement, Astellas is granted which are associated with mortality is actively engaged in business as an exclusive rights to develop and rates between 30% and 90%. It has R&D-driven global pharmaceutical commercialize isavuconazole in the been shown that early treatment company.
46 ■ Volume 14 > Number 3 > 2010 www.asiabiotech.com
Industry v14No3.indd 46 4/5/10 3:18:03 PM [ Industry Watch ]
About Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX:BSLN). Basilea's integrated research and development operations are currently focused on new antibacterial, antifungal and oncology agents to fight drug resistance and on the development of dermatology drugs. Basilea's products are targeted to satisfy high medical and patient needs in the hospital and specialty care setting. ■
Contact Details: Contact Details: Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. Astellas Pharma Address: Grenzacherstrasse 487 Address: 2-3-11, Nihonbashi-Honcho, PO Box Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 103-8411, 4005 Basel Japan Switzerland Tel: +81 3 3244 3000 Tel: +41 61 606 11 11 URL: www.astellas.com Fax: +41 61 606 11 12 Email: [email protected] URL: www.basilea.com
www.asiabiotech.com Volume 14 > Number 3 > 2010 ■ 47
Industry v14No3.indd 47 4/5/10 3:18:03 PM