Achillion Sends HBV, HIV Treatment Elovucitabine To China
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
SHANGHAI - Achillion announced Feb. 1 it has outlicensed elvucitabine, its compound for hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus, to GCA Therapeutics in China
|
SHANGHAI - Achillion announced Feb. 1 it has outlicensed elvucitabine, its compound for hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus, to GCA Therapeutics in China. GCAT will develop elvucitabine through its Chinese joint venture with Tianjing Institute of Pharmaceutical Research. "We will begin some preclinical work that is required by [China's] State FDA immediately and we expect to be in the clinic by late 2011," Achillion Chief Commercial Officer Joseph Truitt told PharmAsia News. Achillion will receive development milestones and double-digit royalties on net sales, but financial details were not disclosed. Truitt, who spent several months negotiating the transaction, estimated that more than 100 million people in China are infected with HBV. According to data from Draco Healthcare Consulting, the market for hepatitis virus treatments in China reached RMB 14.6 billion ($2.14 billion) in 2008. China has included anti-HBV drugs in its national drug reimbursement list (PharmAsia News, Jan. 29, 2010). Achillion - based in New Haven, Connecticut - completed a positive 96-week Phase II trial for elvucitabine in the U.S. in 2009, according to Truitt. Elvucitabine is an L-cytosine nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor that has demonstrated potent antiviral activity against HIV and HBV. According to Achillion, elvucitabine has a half-life of more than 100 hours, which can mitigate the negative effects of less-than-perfect patient compliance and provides an increased barrier to the emergence of drug resistance. Achillion also has three products for HCV in discovery and development as well ACH-702, its candidate for the treatment of serious, resistant bacterial infections, which is in preclinical development. Last month, Achillion netted $19.9 million through a follow-on public offering of 10.3 million common shares at $2.08, according to [See Deal]. New Jersey-based GCAT focuses on in-licensing, acquisitions and marketing of drug candidates and technologies in the areas of oncology, cardiovascular disease, neurology, infectious diseases and immunology. It aims to bring small biotech products to market through its joint venture with TIPR. State-owned TIPR is a research organization affiliated with SFDA. It focuses on developing both Western drugs and Traditional Chinese Medicines. TIPR also possesses fully GMP-compliant manufacturing facilities and its own sales network covering the major cities of China. - Dai Jialing ([email protected]) |