AstraZeneca has announced a new co-commercialisation agreement with Daiichi Sankyo for the constipation drug Movantik (naloxegol) in the US.
Movantik is a first-in-class once-daily oral peripherally-acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist (Pamora) for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in adults with chronic non-cancer pain.
Movantik was approved by FDA in September last year and was de–scheduled by the US Drug Enforcement Administration in January 2015, meaning it is no longer labelled as a controlled substance. The launch of Movantik in the US is not however planned until April.
Under the terms of the deal, Daiichi Sankyo will pay a $200m up-front fee and subsequent sales-related payments of up to $625m.
AstraZeneca will be responsible for all manufacturing, will book all sales and will make sales-related commission payments to Daiichi Sankyo.
Both companies will be jointly responsible for commercial activities.
Paul Hudson, president of AstraZeneca US and executive VP of North America, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Daiichi Sankyo to expand our commercialisation efforts in the US in order to get this important medicine to the large number of patients suffering with opioid-induced constipation.
“Our agreement reflects our evolving business model by creating value from our portfolio through externalisation activity. Together, we will grow the potential of this important treatment, while we retain our significant interest in the long-term commercial success of Movantik in our largest market.”
Ken Keller, president of US commercial at Daiichi Sankyo, added: “We are proud to bring our proven primary care and specialty expertise to this collaboration with AstraZeneca.
“Movantik represents an opportunity to help patients manage one of the most common conditions arising from widely used pain medications, as well as an opportunity to continue to build the Daiichi Sankyo US portfolio of medicines in this therapeutic area.”