Italfarmaco has announced that it will pay Neupharma “a total sum up to double digits in USD millions, excluding royalties” for an exclusive option to acquire global development and commercialization rights to inhaled teicoplanin for the treatment methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. The inhaled teicoplanin formulation has received orphan drug designation in both the US and Europe and is ready for Phase 1 development.
Italfarmaco Director of R&D Portfolio Development Antonio Nardi commented, “As a de-risked molecule with safety proven by over 30 years of use, the novel inhaled formulation of teicoplanin, which would deliver the drug directly into the lungs, has the potential to improve the safety, pharmacokinetic and efficacy profile associated with intravenous teicoplanin. As there is currently no defined standard of care for this chronic lung infection, the agreement will allow Italfarmaco to access a new market as well as provide an improved therapeutic option for cystic fibrosis patients suffering from MRSA.”
Neupharma President and Co-founder Fabio Borella said, “We believe Italfarmaco has the right resources and development expertise that will enable the inhaled formulation of teicoplanin to successfully enter the next stages of clinical development and ideally commercialization. On the whole we value the opportunity to collaborate with this well-established organization.”
Read the Italfarmaco and Neupharma press release.
