Pfizer to co-market new Alzheimer’s drug
pharmafile | September 5, 2008 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Alzheimer's, Pfizer
Pfizer is to partner with American firm Medivation to develop and market a new drug for Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease.
The drug is called Dimebon and was originally developed by Medivation, a small biopharmaceutical company based in San Francisco, which has taken it through to phase III development.
Under the new agreement, the two companies will share the cost of completing trials and then marketing the treatment in the US. Outside the US, Pfizer will have sole responsibility for any development, regulatory and marketing costs.
Dr David Hung, president and chief executive officer of Medivation, said the company had been through a rigorous process to find the ideal alliance for the treatment.
He added: “Pfizer is an optimal partner because of its extensive experience developing new medicines; its marketing and commercialisation track record; and its significant global capability to effectively reach primary care physicians, who today prescribe the vast majority of Alzheimer’s disease medications in the US.”
Dimebon is an oral medication that has been shown to inhibit brain cell death in preclinical models relevant to Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease.
The companies say it appears to improve the function of mitochondria, the energy generators in cells that play a vital role in governing brain cell health, growth and overall function.
Eighteen million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s, and Pfizer says developing treatments for the disease is one of its highest priorities. It already co-markets Alzheimer’s treatment Aricept with Eisai.
Dr Martin Mackay, Pfizer’s president of global R&D, said: “We are working to develop new medicines that improve memory and halt or significantly slow the disease’s progression. We look forward to collaborating with Medivation to bring Dimebon to patients as rapidly as possible.”
Pfizer will initially pay the smaller company $225 million, and a possible $500 million to follow if regulatory milestones are met.
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