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Pharma major Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd has entered into a licensing agreement with Eisai Co Ltd, Japan, for exclusive worldwide development and commercialisation rights, excluding Japan and Asia, for Eisai’s investigational anti-cancer agent.
As per the pact, Eisai will be responsible for the development and marketing of the agent, E7777, in Japan and Asia, while the Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s holds the option for rights to develop and market the agent in India.
In exchange for these rights, Eisai will receive milestone payments in line with obtaining marketing approval and the achievement of agreed upon sales targets. Through this agreement, the two companies aim to accelerate development and maximise the value of agent.
“E7777 has significant potential as an important component of systemic therapy for CTCL (cutaneous T-cell lymphoma). This therapy represents an extension of our current efforts in the dermatology space to an important segment of skin-related cancers,’’ Raghav Chari, Executive Vice-President, Proprietary Products Group, Dr Reddy’s, said in a release issued here on Thursday.
According to Terushige Iike, Chief Product Creation Officer of Eisai Product Creation Systems, Eisai and Dr Reddy's will conduct development in their respective territories. “We hope to launch treatments that will fulfill the diverse needs of, and bring about benefits for, patients with cancer and their families,’’ he said.
Dr Reddy’s scrip gained 0.72 per cent to close at ₹3034.90 on the BSE on Thursday.
E7777 is a fusion protein that combines the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor binding domain with diphtheria toxin fragments. A phase-II clinical study of the agent in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma or peripheral T-cell lymphoma is currently on in Japan.
Preparations are in progress for a phase-III clinical study of the agent in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in the US.
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