Bayer goes into $385m collaboration with Nuvelo

Bayer is to enter into a collaboration with the US pharmaceutical firm Nuvelo over the drug alfimeprase.

The agreement will see Nuvelo eligible for up to $385 million in milestone payments, including a $50 million up-front cash payment.

Bayer will also pay royalties ranging between 15 per cent and 37.5 per cent depending on the success of the drug outside the US. Nuvelo is to keep all commercialisation rights and profits from alfimeprase sales in the US.

Alfimeprase is Nuvelo’s lead Phase III product candidate. It is a blood clot treatment that has been shown in clinical studies to provide rapid clot dissolution with a well tolerated safety profile.

Wolfgang Plischke, president of Bayer HealthCare’s Pharmaceutical Division said: “This Phase III compound has the potential to be a significant addition to our cardiology/haematology business.

“Thrombosis-related diseases are highly prevalent, and alfimeprase’s ability to rapidly dissolve clots in clinical trials conducted to date suggest it may be the ideal complement to our range of products that address coagulation and thrombosis. We believe alfimeprase has the potential to transform the treatment of patients suffering from thrombotic-related disorders.”

As a part of the deal Bayer will be responsible for 40 per cent of the costs for global development programmes, with Nuvelo responsible for the rest and holding the lead for the design and conduct of global development.

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