Agreement covers Abstral™ in 11 countries excluding China and Japan.
Invida will distribute Orexo’s Abstral, a treatment for breakthrough cancer pain, in Asia Pacific. Under the terms of the exclusive licensing and distribution agreement Orexo will supply Invida with Abstral, and Invida will be responsible for regulatory, medical, marketing, and sales activities.
The agreement covers 11 countries in Asia Pacific, including Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The deal does not extend to China where the product is partnered with NovaMed, Japan where it is marketed by Kyowa Hakko Kirin, and Southeast Asian territories where Hospira owns rights.
Abstral is a sublingual medication that administers fentayl, an opiod used to treat cancer pain, to patients who are already receiving opoid analgesics. In June 2008, Abstral received a positive recommendation for approval in Europe, where it is distributed by ProStrakan. Launch in major EU markets was achieved in 2009. In September 2010, ProStrakan launched Abstral in Italy, completing European roll-out.
ProStrakan also owns Abstral commercialization rights in North America, except Canada where Paladin is responsible for the medication. FDA approved the drug for breakthrough cancer pain in adults on January 10. Under terms of the deal between ProStrakan and Orexo, the latter is to receive 23–28% royalties on net sales in the U.S. on top of its 25–30% royalties on net sales in Europe.
Sales of the drug reached £17 million (almost $27 million) by the end of 2010. ProStrakan and Orexo estimate that the drug has a 24% share of the fast-acting fentanyl market in primary European territories.
Other partnerships include Neopharm in Israel, Gedeon Richter in Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and NewBridge in the Middle East and Africa.
