Australian biopharmaceutical development company BioDiem Ltd has commenced discussions regarding the manufacturing and marketing rights of its LAIV technology for the Japanese market. Japan is the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world. BioDiem, which previously held the co-marketing rights in conjunction with Nobilon, whose parent company Schering Plough has recently merged with Merck, has now claimed full rights to that market. The reversion of the rights means that Merck is relieved of the requirement to pay the final milestone payment of US$1 million to the company in accordance with the arrangement in the licence agreement signed in 2004.
Attaining the full Japanese rights to the technology, including manufacturing, allows BioDiem to out license the complete Japanese rights package and the Company anticipates that this presents an attractive package given the market interest in influenza and the strong benefits of the LAIV technology. The Japanese license package will allow the licensee the opportunity for development of both egg and cell based manufacturing options. In particular, the licensee could achieve a pipeline through the faster introduction of an egg-based vaccine product and then subsequently a cell-based vaccine. In addition, BioDiem is now able to provide pandemic avian ‘flu strains to a licensee as a result of its partnership with the US Center of Disease Control and Prevention under the CRADA agreement.
Chief executive officer of BioDiem, Julie Phillips, commented, “The recovery of 100 per cent rights to the Japanese market is an exciting development for the Company and opens up a number of commercial avenues. Japan represents a lucrative potential market for BioDiem’s technology and we have achieved these rights very cost-effectively for the equivalent of US$1 million. We are already in discussions with Japanese companies. At this time we cannot make any disclosures about specific details but we are confident that there is interest in our LAIV technology in Japan. We will be holding further meetings early next year.” BioDiem continues to hold the marketing rights in the North American market for the LAIV technology.
BioDiem is an ASX listed company, based in Melbourne, with an international focus on finding, adding value to and commercializing world-class research for vaccines, infectious diseases and other therapeutic areas.
The Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) is delivered by nasal spray which is easier to administer than traditional influenza injections which require intramuscular delivery.