Helsinn grants rights to 5-HT3 product to Taiho
Potential new therapy for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
Swiss pharmaceutical firm Helsinn Group and Taiho Pharmaceutical Co, a Japanese licensee of Helsinn's second generation 5-HT3 receptor antagonist palonosetron, has granted Taiho the rights to a new product for potential use in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in Japan.
The agreement covers the development of a fixed-dose combination product (in both oral and IV forms) containing netupitant, a neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist, and palonosetron, a serotonin-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist.
Under the terms of the agreement, Helsinn will be responsible for the CMC development. The firm’s chemical plant in Switzerland will provide both APIs. Helsinn will manufacture the product at it plant in Dublin, Ireland and will supply it for clinical and commercial use in Japan.
Taiho will conduct preclinical and clinical development and obtain regulatory approvals in Japan in close collaboration with Helsinn. Taiho will also hold the New Drug Application, on the basis of studies already performed by Helsinn and in collaboration with Helsinn.
Riccardo Braglia, chief executive of Helsinn Group, said: ‘We are very proud of the existing successful collaboration with Taiho Pharmaceutical in Japan. At the beginning of last year our Japanese partner launched palonosetron on the national market and, within less than one year, our drug became the market leader in its class. Now our collaboration is extending to the netupitant-palonosetron fixed dose combination and we are sure that the success will reiterate.’