Sepracor signs EU marketing deal with GSK

US-headquartered drug development company Sepracor has signed an agreement to market its sleep drug Lunivia (eszopiclone) in the EU with UK-based pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Lunivia is currently under market review in the region, but has been commercially available in the US as Lunesta since 2005 to treat insomnia. Per the agreement, the drug will be marketed by GSK everywhere, except the US, Canada, Japan and Mexico.

Sepracor will receive an initial payment of USD 20m from GSK and is entitled to USD 155m in license and milestone payments, as well as double-digit royalties which would escalate upon increased product sales, says the firm.

In FY06, US product sales were about USD 566.8m, while the EU sedative hypnotic market was estimated to be worth about USD 500m in 2006.