Transcept Pharmaceuticals has acquired global development and commercialization rights to Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories’ TO-2070 dihydroergotamine (DHE) nasal powder for the treatment of migraine, the companies announced. Transcept will pay $1 million up front plus development milestones totaling $6.5 million, commercialization milestones of up to $35 million, and royalties. SNBL would also supply the nasal delivery devices and development services.
The SNBL nasal delivery system, called µco, uses formulations containing a muco-adhesive carrier. Earlier this year, SNBL licensed the system to Besins Healthcare for the delivery of progesterone.
Transcept President and CEO Glenn A. Oclassen commented, “For more than 55 years, SNBL has been a leader in the field of biopharmaceutical research, and this nasal powder drug delivery system is the latest example of its innovative spirit. Our TO-2070 agreement enables Transcept and SNBL to work together to develop a potentially important new therapeutic for acute migraine, which is among the most common neurological disorders. There are approximately 30 million migraine cases each year in the United States alone, and we estimate that the worldwide therapeutic market is over $3 billion. However, current treatment options are not adequate to meet the needs of patients. We believe that TO-2070 represents a significant potential therapeutic advance that could offer patients and physicians rapid and meaningful relief of migraine symptoms. TO-2070 will offer these advantages in a DHE treatment system that does not have the problems associated with intranasal liquid, injectable or pulmonary delivery, that can be conveniently self-administered, and that has a relatively low manufacturing cost.”
Read the Transcept press release.
