Meda signs EU licensing agreement for cancer pain drug

Meda, the Swedish pharmaceutical company, has said it has signed an exclusive licensing agreement for BEMA Fentanyl, allowing it to market and promote the drug in all EU countries, including the UK.

BEMA Fentanyl is a drug used for the treatment of acute breakthrough pain in cancer patients. It is currently under going phase III development, with applications to European authorities anticipated within the next 18 to 20 months.

The agreement with BioDelivery Sciences International (BDSI), a US pharmaceutical company, will see Meda paying $2.5 million (1.31 million pounds) upfront, with an additional $7.5 million in milestone fees depending on regulatory and commercial successes.

Meda estimates the potential market segment of the BEMA Fentanyl to approximately 290 million pounds.

Anders Lonner, Meda’s chief executive officer, remarked: “Breakthrough pain is an increasing problem in, for example, cancer care. The European market for products that contain fentanyl is rapidly increasing.”

“We have chosen the BEMA technology because we believe it has the potential to offer important patient benefits compared to competing products,” he added.

Dr Mark Sirgo, BDSI’s president and chief executive, added: “It is expected that Meda will use its expertise in pain management to participate in an estimated total market of over 1.3 million patients in Europe who suffer from cancer pain, of which a significant percentage experience breakthrough episodes.”

Breakthrough pain is defined as spontaneous and intense increases in pain in cancer patients, even when painkillers are in use. It can be triggered by certain activities, although in some cases the cause of the increase in pain is unclear, according to the National Cancer Institute of the US.

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