Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company and Aratana Therapeutics, Inc., announced that Elanco has licensed animal health rights to Aratana’s Galliprant (grapiprant tablets), an FDA-approved therapeutic for the control of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in dogs. The agreement grants Elanco exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, market, and commercialize Galliprant globally, and co-promote the product with Aratana in the United States.

“This deal expands Elanco’s robust companion animal portfolio, which will now give our customers and their patients a spectrum of treatments for managing osteoarthritic pain,” said Jeff Simmons, president of Elanco Animal Health. “At Elanco, we understand the powerful role healthy animals play in making life better. As pets become important parts of our families, the need to help them live longer, healthier, higher quality lives increases as well.”

The most common type of arthritis in dogs, osteoarthritis affects up to 20 per cent of the adult canine population. Osteoarthritis can result when joint cartilage - the protective material that cushions and allows smooth movement in a joint – becomes thin and breaks down over time, leading to pain and inflammation in the joint. The frequent result is stiffness and a reluctance to run, jump, or even climb steps.

“Aratana understands the value of relationships with the right collaborators,” said Steven St. Peter, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Aratana Therapeutics. “We believe that this collaboration with Elanco, a leading animal health company, is a watershed event for the emerging pet biotech sector and further validates our focus on the pet therapeutics opportunity.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Aratana will receive an upfront payment of $45 million, additional payments upon achievement of certain development, regulatory and sales milestones up to $83 million, and co-promotion fees and royalty payments.

Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly and Company, provides comprehensive products and knowledge services to improve animal health and food-animal production in more than 70 countries around the world.

Aratana Therapeutics is a pet therapeutics company focused on licensing, developing and commercializing innovative pharmaceutical products for dogs and cats.