AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo ‘to jointly market movantik in US’

Today (March 19th), AstraZeneca announced it has entered an agreement with Daiichi Sankyo to co-commercialise movantik in the US, in line with its strategy of delivering value through its own capabilities, as well as via external collaboration.19th), AstraZeneca announced it has entered an agreement with Daiichi Sankyo to co-commercialise movantik in the US, in line with its strategy of delivering value through its own capabilities, as well as via external collaboration.

The drug is a first-in-class, once-daily oral peripherally-acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist (PAMORA) for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in adults with chronic non-cancer pain.

Movantik was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in September 2014 and was descheduled by the Drug Enforcement Administration in January 2015, now no longer being labelled as a controlled substance.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will pay an upfront fee of $200 million (134.2 million pounds) and subsequent sales-related payments of up to $625 million.

AstraZeneca will be responsible for manufacturing, will book all sales and make sales-related commission payments to the other firm. Both companies will be jointly accountable for commercial activities.

Paul Hudson, president of AstraZeneca US and executive vice-president for North America, said the agreement reflects the evolving business model, by creating value from the firm's portfolio through externalisation activity.

"Together, we will grow the potential of this important treatment, while we retain our significant interest in the long-term commercial success of movantik in our largest market," he added.

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