EuroPharma Today

NicOx finds new partner Bausch & Lomb for Phase II Glaucoma Candidate

French biotech NicOx has signed up leading U.S. eye health firm Bausch & Lomb to collaborate on its Phase II nitric oxide-donating glaucoma therapy, NCX116, six months after losing Pfizer as its development partner for the product.

Lesson From A Deal Gone Bad: Basilea Ups Role In New Astellas Partnership

Even before Switzerland's Basilea started arbitration proceedings a year ago against its now former partner Johnson & Johnson on antibiotic ceftobiprole, the biotech would have been drawing lessons on what to avoid - and what to insist upon -in future license agreements.

Basilea Recovers With Astellas Deal For Phase III Anti-Fungal Following J&J Break-Up

Switzerland's Basilea licensed its Phase III anti-fungal isavuconazole to Japan's Astellas Pharma Feb. 24, just days after Johnson & Johnson revealed it was pulling out of its five-year deal with the biotech on the delayed antibiotic ceftobiprole.

Switzerland's Basilea Regains Full Rights from J&J to Ceftobiprole

J&J's decision to hand back full rights to ceftobiprole to its partner, the Swiss biotech Basilea, and back out of their five-year-old alliance will end a tortuous regulatory story for both partners.

Euro Deals of the Week

Last week saw a couple of interesting deals by European-based Big Pharma--including Sanofi Aventis' very nationally-focused academic tie-up--small dollars, but high symbolism, perhaps--and AstraZeneca's latest upfront-cash-heavy in-licensing deal with Rigel for a Phase II oral RA candidate.

Novartis Boosts HCV Portfolio With First-in-Class Debiopharm Compound

Novartis has strengthened its hand in products for treating hepatitis C by licensing exclusive worldwide rights (excluding Japan) to a potential first-in-class antiviral, Debio 025 (alisporivir), from fellow Swiss firm Debiopharm.

Austria's Apeiron Wins £11m GSK Respiratory Deal

Privately-owned Austrian biotech Apeiron Biologics on Feb. 3 attracted £11 million ($17.5 million) in upfront cash and equity from GlaxoSmithKline for full rights to its Phase I biologic for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

The deal signals GSK's continued interest in accessing compounds that address challenging and often specialist areas. ARDS affects about 1 million people per year in developed markets (an incidence roughly similar to that of colon cancer). But it isn't a primary event - ARDS is associated with a range of complex conditions such as sepsis, trauma and post-operative complications. There are currently no effective treatments.

AstraZeneca Reports Higher Profits, But Cuts R&D Jobs

LONDON--Facing U.S. patent expiries on key drugs , AstraZeneca announced at its Jan. 28 results meeting a further restructuring of its R&D operations, with the expected net loss of 1,800 jobs, and annual cost savings of $1 billion by 2014.

Overall, the company expects restructuring in R&D and elsewhere in the company to affect more than 10,400 positions between 2010 and 2014 -8,000 more than in previous plans - and to produce annual savings of $1.8 billion.

Finding Inspiration: Ipsen Builds Fourth Specialist Franchise With Hemophilia Deal

Ipsen is building out its hemophilia franchise by paying $85 million for a 20 percent stake in Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals, along with an option to acquire up to 47 percent of the Laguna Niguel, Ca., company for an additional $174 million, which will be tied to development milestones.  The deal structure mirrors that which the mid-sized French group signed with Tercica in 2006, centered on building a global endocrinology business.

Almirall Signs up Forest for Once-Daily LABA

Spain's mid-sized Almirall has won $75 million up front from Forest Laboratories, granting it U.S. rights to inhaled, once-daily long-acting beta agonist LAS100977, currently in Phase II trials.

The drug will be developed in combination with a corticosteroid for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), using Almirall's multi-dose dry-powder inhaler, Genuair.