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Bayer and Regeneron to co-develop wet AMD antibody

pharmafile | January 14, 2014 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing Bayer, Eylea, Regeneron, pdgfr-beta, wet AMD 

Bayer and Regeneron are co-developing an antibody to the Platelet Derived Growth Factor Receptor Beta (PDGFR-beta) as a combination therapy with Eylea for the treatment of wet AMD.

As part of the agreement Bayer is paying the New York-based biopharma firm $25.5 million upfront. It will be sharing the development costs, and will also have exclusive rights to commercialise the product outside the US. 

The profits made from those sales are to be split equally with Regeneron, and within the US it will hold the commercialisation rights and retain all sales returns.

Under the agreement, Regeneron is eligible to receive up to $40 million in option and milestone payments through regulatory approval from the German pharma giant.

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George Yancopoulos, chief scientific officer of Regeneron and president of its labs unit said: “We look forward to building on our relationship in ophthalmology with this potential next generation product candidate which will combine Regeneron’s PDGFR-beta antibody and Eylea in a single intravitreal injection.” 

This is not the first partnership between the two firms, as Bayer and Regeneron’s own Eylea (aflibercept) was approved in Europe towards the end of last year, in order to treat visual impairment due to macular oedema following central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).

Analysts predicted peak sales of $2 billion per year for Eylea which – mirroring this wet AMD deal – was co-developed by Bayer who has rights to the drug outside the US, and Regeneron who has US exclusivity.

Wet AMD develops when abnormal blood vessels form underneath the macula and damage its cells. Without treatment, vision can deteriorate within days.

The firms say that pre-clinical data has suggested that combining PDGFR-beta blockade with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) blockade by Eylea can be advantageous over inhibiting VEGF alone, in the treatment of the devastating eye disease. 

“Given the multi-factorial nature of wet AMD, there is a potential for additional benefits to patients by addressing different pathways responsible for this devastating condition,” said Kemal Malik, a member of the Bayer HealthCare executive committee and head of Global Development. 

First in human clinical studies are currently planned to begin early next year.

Brett Wells

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