TAIPEI, Oct. 4, 2015
/PRNewswire/ -- OBI Pharma, Inc. (TPex: 4174) today announced
an agreement with MSD, known as Merck in the United States and Canada, through a subsidiary transferring
exclusive rights to develop and commercialize Dificid®
(fidaxomicin) in Taiwan to
MSD.
This agreement will enable the launch of Dificid® in
Taiwan utilizing MSD's extensive
market expertise and knowledge, with the potential to benefit
patients in Taiwan suffering from
Clostridium Difficile-Associated Diarrhea (CDAD).
Under the terms of the agreement, OBI Pharma will receive an
initial up-front payment of US$3.0
million from MSD and is eligible to receive royalties and
payments associated with the completion of certain undisclosed
milestones. MSD will be responsible for all future costs associated
with commercialization, development, and manufacturing of DIFICID
in Taiwan.
DIFICID (fidaxomicin) is an orally administered,
narrow-spectrum, macrocyclic antibiotic with a novel mechanism of
action approved in Taiwan for the
treatment of Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhea
(CDAD) in adults 18 years of age or older under the trade name
DIFICID®.
About CDAD
CDAD is a significant medical problem in
hospitals, long-term care facilities, and in the community. CDAD is
a serious illness resulting from infection of the inner lining of
the colon by C. difficile bacteria, which produce toxins
that cause inflammation of the colon, severe diarrhea, and, in the
most serious cases, death. Patients typically develop CDAD from the
use of broad-spectrum antibiotics that disrupt normal
gastrointestinal (gut) flora, possibly allowing C. difficile
bacteria to flourish. Older patients in particular are at risk for
CDAD, potentially because of a weakened immune system or the
presence of underlying disease.
About OBI Pharma
OBI Pharma, Inc., headquartered in
Taipei, Taiwan, is a
biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development
of innovative treatments for unmet medical needs, including cancer
& infectious diseases. The company's flagship product in
development is OBI-822, a first-in-class active immunotherapy for
metastatic breast cancer. OBI is also developing next generation
active immunotherapies for difficult to treat cancers, including
lung, prostate, pancreatic, stomach, and ovarian cancers. OBI is
publicly traded on the Taipei Exchange (TPex: 4174). Additional
information can be found at www.obipharma.com/en
OBI Forward-looking Statements
Statements included in
this press release that are not a description of historical facts
are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future
clinical trials, results and the timing of such trials and results.
Such risk factors are identified and discussed from time to time in
OBI Pharma's reports and presentations, including OBI Pharma's most
recent filings with the Taiwan Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Contacts
OBI Pharma:
Sharon
Lee
+886 (2) 2786-6589 Ext 213
info@obipharma.com
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SOURCE OBI Pharma, Inc.