Nycomed partners with Merck on Daxas
pharmafile | April 26, 2010 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Daxas, Merck & Co, Nycomed
Swiss firm Nycomed and Merck & Co have agreed to co-promote oral chronic obstructive pulmonary disease candidate Daxas in Europe.
The agreement covers France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal as well as Canada. In the UK, Merck will have exclusive commercialisation rights, although Nycomed has retained a co-promotion option.
Based in Zurich, Nycomed will manufacture and distribute the finished product in all countries covered by the deal.
Nycomed will receive an undisclosed upfront fee from Merck and is eligible for payments based on achieving various milestones.
“This agreement with Nycomed for a late-stage PDE4 inhibitor candidate represents a strong strategic fit,” said Kevin Ali, Merck’s general manager bone, respiratory, immunology and dermatology.
In 2005 Pfizer pulled out of an agreement to develop and market Daxas after mixed performance in early trials.
But Nycomed last year reported encouraging phase III clinical results for Daxas (roflumilast), which has blockbuster sales potential if the once-daily drug becomes the first pill to treat COPD.
This looks likely after Daxas was last week recommended for approval by a key European advisory committee.
The CHMP adopted a positive opinion on the drug as a maintenance treatment for severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease associated with chronic bronchitis in adult patients as an add-on to bronchodilator treatment. The committee’s opinions are usually ratified by European regulators within three months.
The phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) enzyme inhibitor targets cells and mediators in the body believed to be important in COPD and other inflammatory diseases.
“We are very pleased to have entered into this collaboration with Merck and we believe it’s the best partner for us,” said Nycomed chief executive Håkan Björklund.
He added that “regional synergies between the two companies will contribute to successfully bring Daxas to patients and doctors”.
Once approved Daxas would compete with GlaxoSmithKline’s Advair and Pfizer/Boehringer Ingelheim’s Spiriva.
“This builds upon Merck’s leadership in the asthma and allergy marketplace and positions the company to leverage our well-trained sales force to target the rapidly growing unmet medical need of COPD,” Ali added.
Nycomed filed a marketing application for Daxas with Health Canada and a New Drug Application to the US Food and Drug Administration last year.
Forest Laboratories has rights to develop and market the drug in the US.
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