Schering Obtains Worldwide Rights to Develop and Market Pradefovir for Chronic Hepatitis B

Schering-Plough Corporation this week announced a licensing agreement with Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Metabasis Therapeutics for exclusive worldwide development and commercial rights to pradefovir. Pradefovir is an oral polymerase inhibitor now in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

Valeant licensed pradefovir from Metabasis in 2000 and has been conducting clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the drug for compensated chronic hepatitis B, according to the press announcement from Schering-Plough.

Pradefovir is a pro-drug of PMEA that uses Metabasis' HepDirect technology to enable higher concentrations of the drug in the liver - the primary site of replication for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) - while maintaining lower concentrations elsewhere in the body.

"Pradefovir has the potential to offer improved treatment options for patients with chronic hepatitis B, a serious blood-borne infection affecting some 400 million people worldwide," said Robert J. Spiegel, MD, chief medical officer and senior vice president of Schering-Plough Research Institute. "Schering-Plough is continuing its leadership in hepatitis through internal research programs and strategic collaborations, with a focus on developing targeted oral antiviral agents," he said.

Hepatitis B is a potentially fatal disease that can lead to complications such as cirrhosis and primary liver cancer. Approximately 2 billion people worldwide are estimated to have hepatitis B, with 350-400 million people believed to be chronically infected.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals is a global specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of pharmaceutical products primarily in the areas of neurology, infectious disease, and dermatology. More information about Valeant can be found at www.valeant.com.

Metabasis Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel drugs to address some of the world's most widespread and costly chronic diseases.

Schering-Plough is a global science-based health care company with leading prescription, consumer, and animal health products. Through internal research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets advanced drug therapies to meet important medical needs. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its web site is www.schering-plough.com.

New Experimental HBV Drug Pradefovir from Valeant Pharmaceuticals Shows Promising 24-week Interim Results in Phase 2 Study

12/15/06

Source
Schering-Plough. Schering-Plough licenses worldwide rights to pradefovir, oral hepatitis B treatment in development with Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Metabasis Therapeutics. Press release. December 13, 2006.