NicOx S.A and Bausch + Lomb, a leading eye health company, have entered into a licensing agreement which grants Bausch + Lomb exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize NCX 116 (previously PF-03187207), a nitric oxide-donating prostaglandin F2-alpha analog. Eye disease affects millions of people worldwide and can lead to impaired vision or total blindness. Glaucoma is one of a group of eye diseases which can lead to the loss of peripheral vision and eventually total blindness. NCX 116 has completed two phase 2 studies in patients with glaucoma and ocular hypertension that demonstrated promising results.
Under the terms of the agreement, Bausch + Lomb will make an initial license payment to NicOx of US$ 10 million, followed by potential development, regulatory, commercialization and sales success-based milestones, which, over time, could total US$ 169.5 million. NicOx will also receive tiered double-digit royalties on the sales of NCX 116. NicOx has the option to co-promote NCX 116 products in the United States.
Dr Baldo Scassellati Sforzolini, vice president Regulatory Affairs, Clinical & Medical Sciences at Bausch + Lomb, commented: "We look forward to this promising collaboration with NicOx, which further strengthens Bausch + Lomb's product pipeline and potentially enables the company to provide patients with a worldwide prescription product for the treatment of glaucoma."
Gavin Spencer, vice president Business Development at NicOx, commented, "As one of the best-known and most respected healthcare companies in the world, dedicated specifically to eye health, Bausch + Lomb recognizes the potential of NCX 116. We believe that their therapeutic focus offers a great opportunity to develop this molecule in glaucoma and we look forward to a strong collaboration."
NicOx has granted Bausch + Lomb the exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize NCX 116 and other products containing NCX 116, such as fixed-dose combinations, for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
Bausch + Lomb will fund development and commercialization activities and the two companies will manage the collaboration through a joint steering committee. The agreement will be effective March 29, 2010. Bausch + Lomb has the option to develop additional nitric oxide-donating compounds for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension, including the other prostaglandin F2-alpha analogs resulting from NicOx's research. The terms for the license of these compounds would be negotiated under a separate agreement at the time of exercising the option.
NicOx is a pharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and future commercialization of drug candidates.