Pozen files drug application for its 'purple pill' Nexium combo to combat arthritis
Pozen (Nasdaq: POZN) and its partner AstraZeneca have filed a new drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for their proposed treatment targeting arthritis.
Newly named Vimovo, the drug formerly known as PN 400 combines AstraZeneca’s heartburn drug Nexium with the anti-inflammatory drug naproxen. It is designed to help patients who face the risk of developing ulcers related to pain relievers.
The filing triggered a $10 million milestone payment to Pozen from AstraZeneca.
Vimovo has been tested in clinical trials as a treatment for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and a condition known as ankylosing spondylitis.
In September 2007, Pozen and AstraZeneca announced the launch of a Phase III clinical trial. Under a revised partnership agreement. Pozen could earn as much as $345 million from AstraZeneca.
Pozen has proprietary technology that enables the combination of drugs into one compound. It brought a migraine headache pain reliever to market in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline.
"Millions of people worldwide suffer from arthritis and we are excited about the prospect of developing and bringing an important new therapy to these patients," said Tony Zook, president and chief executive officer at AstraZeneca, at the time of the PN 400 partnership announcement.
Featured
Hot Off The Wire
- Red Hat's new Fedora lead; Cree LED breakthrough; Google, Cisco top 'green' list; Oracle rejects SAP settlement; Yahoo board shakeup
- Will Cisco report progress in its turnaround efforts?
- Cisco server fire threat; Lenovo Android upgrade; cloud startup vs. Cisco; Epic's Blesinski to host awards; Google 'Solve for X'
E-mail Preferences
