Discovery and Yoshitomi sign
Japanese Parkinson patch deal
RICHMOND, Va.--(BW HealthWire) via Individual Inc. --
Discovery Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that they have
licensed their transdermal patch for the treatment of Parkinson's
disease to Yoshitomi Pharmaceuticals Industry, Ltd. for
development and marketing in Japan. The deal could be worth
more than $50 million in fees, fixed payments and royalties to
Discovery over the product's expected lifetime in Japan.
"This is one of the most exciting transactions we have made so far
with U.S. biotechnology companies," said Yoji Nakajima,
managing director and member of the board of directors at
Yoshitomi. "We look forward to a fruitful relationship with
Discovery."
Discovery's N-0923 is a novel dopamine agonist that has been
demonstrated in human clinical trials to be efficacious in the
treatment of Parkinson's disease. It is delivered through the skin
using a transdermal system. Because transdermal administration
provides stable and continuous plasma levels of medication, the
N-0923 patch should help improve the fluctuations and sudden
loss of symptom control that many Parkinson's disease patients
experience. Stable levels of N-0923 should reduce the need for
supplemental doses of levodopa/carbidopa and therefore help
patients avoid side effects, such as dyskinesia (jerky or irregular
movement).
Results of an interim analysis of data from a Phase IIb clinical trial
showed that the N-0923 patch fully replaced existing oral agonist
therapy and reduced daily levodopa dosage in all four patient
treatment groups by an average of 20-30% compared to baseline.
Discovery Therapeutics is continuing to discuss potential
development and marketing partnerships with pharmaceutical
companies in the United States and Europe.
The total market for Parkinson's disease treatments in Japan is
estimated by Connect Pharma to be $291 million (U.S.) per year, or
22% of the total world market. This market is growing as the
elderly population in Japan continues to increase. More than $1
billion (U.S.) are spent worldwide for therapeutic agents to treat
PD, a debilitating neurological disorder that afflicts more than 1%
of the population over the age of 50. Patients suffer rigidity,
difficulty walking, muscle tremor and slowness of movement. The
disease is caused by degeneration of a region in the brain that
secretes dopamine, a neurotransmitter signal molecule that
coordinates voluntary muscle activity. Most treatments therefore
consist of various attempts to replace or supplement the lost
dopamine.
Yoshitomi Pharmaceuticals Industry, Ltd. is the Japanese market
leader in central nervous system pharmaceuticals, while having an
extensive coverage of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and
immunology/allergy products, in addition to a broad-range
chemicals business. The company will be one of the ten largest
pharmaceutical companies in Japan, after its planned acquisition
of Green Cross.
Discovery Therapeutics, Inc. is an independent company founded
to invent, develop and commercialize pharmaceuticals for
poorly-met medical needs using novel signal molecule
technologies. Discovery has two technology platforms: one
based on dopamine for the treatment of movement disorders and
the other on adenosine for the treatment and diagnosis of
coronary artery disease and cardiac dysrhythmias.
CONTACT: Discovery Therapeutics | Dr. Donald A. McAfee,
804/358-9468 | or | EMM Communications | Ellen M. Martin,
510/832-7604
[Copyright 1997, Business Wire]
