The $115 million agreement with LEO Pharma grants it the exclusive global license for tralokinumab as a skin disease medication. LEO Pharma also agreed to pay AstraZeneca up to $1 billion in royalties. The new medication has completed the Phase IIb trial, which evaluated its effectiveness on atopic dermatitis.
In addition to its use for the inflammatory skin disease,
tralokinumab is in a Phase III trial for severely asthmatic adults. AstraZeneca
has retained the rights to tralokinumab as a treatment for respiratory diseases
and other conditions not related to dermatology.
“This agreement allows us to concentrate our efforts on tralokinumab’s potential for patients with severe asthma, a priority area for AstraZeneca, while benefitting from LEO Pharma’s expertise in dermatology for the continued development and commercialization of tralokinumab in atopic dermatitis and other dermatology conditions," AstraZeneca EVP, Global Product and Portfolio Strategy, Luke Miels said.
AstraZeneca and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. terminated Valeant's license for brodalumab in Europe. In its place, LEO Pharma made a new agreement with AstraZeneca for the rights to brodalumab, which is being evaluated as a treatment for plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Valeant retains its rights to brodalumab outside of Europe, Japan and other Asian countries.
“These agreements allow us to capitalize on LEO’s strong track record of bringing new dermatological treatments to patients in Europe, while enabling Valeant to focus on bringing brodalumab to market in the U.S. and other key markets," Miels said. "We are confident that working with both partners, we can maximize the reach of this potential new medicine to help psoriasis patients across the globe.”
Alerts Sign-up