Neose Technologies, Inc. has received a research milestone payment from Novo Nordisk A/S under a license agreement entered into in November 2003 for the use of Neose's GlycoPEGylation technology to develop next-generation versions of Factors VIII and IX. The company is also working with Novo Nordisk to develop a next-generation version of Factor VIIa, a Neose release said.
"We are pleased with the overall success of our collaboration with Novo Nordisk," said George J. Vergis, Ph.D., Neose president and chief executive officer. "Novo continues to be an ideal partner for Neose, providing significant clinical development expertise and a strong commitment to broadening their haemostasis product portfolio that should prove invaluable in the success of long-acting Factors VIIa, VIII and IX."
Factor VIII products are used in the treatment of Haemophilia A. People with Haemophilia A, often called classic haemophilia; do not produce adequate amounts of Factor VIII, which is necessary for the blood to clot effectively. According to the National Haemophilia Foundation, Haemophilia A is the most common type of haemophilia, occurring in one in 5,000 to 10,000 male births. The worldwide market for recombinant Factor VIII products was approximately $2 billion in 2005
Factor IX products are used in the treatment of Haemophilia B. Haemophilia B, also known as Christmas Disease, is caused by a deficiency of a blood plasma protein called factor IX that affects the clotting property of blood. According to the National Haemophilia Foundation, Haemophilia B is the second most common type of haemophilia, occurring in about one in 25,000 male births. The worldwide market for recombinant Factor IX was approximately $350 million in 2005.