Advanced Life Sciences and Wyeth develop cethromycin in Asia-Pacific
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Advanced Life Sciences (ALS) could receive more than $100 million through an agreement with Wyeth to develop and commercialise cethromycin in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan. Cethromycin (ABT-773) is a novel ketolide once-a-day oral antibiotic for the treatment of community respiratory tract infections. Mark Larsen, Wyeth's president for Asia-Pacific and nutritionals, said that, if approved, cethromycin would add to Wyeth's portfolio of existing anti-infectives, such as Tygacil (tigecycline) and Zosyn (piperacillin and tazobactam). Asia-Pacific is also a key growth region for the company, he added. Dr Michael Flavin, chairman and CEO of ALS, said that there was a need for new antibiotics in this region as market growth was outpacing the rest of the world owing to high bacterial resistance rates. Wyeth has made an up-front equity investment in ALS by buying 4.9% of ASL stock. ALS will receive milestone and regulatory payments based on successful achievement of clinical, regulatory and commercial objectives in specific markets, as well as royalty payments. The two firms will collaborate to develop additional clinical data in the region to support regulatory filings there. Elsewhere, ALS has submitted a US NDA for cethromycin for mildtomoderate community-acquired pneumonia.