MedImmune, Inc. has amended its ex-US distribution agreement with Abbott for monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Under the amended agreement, Abbott will distribute and market Numax, MedImmune's investigational second-generation anti-RSV MAb currently in Phase 3 development, upon approval outside of the United States. Additionally, Abbott will continue to distribute and market Synagis (palivizumab), MedImmune's first-generation anti-RSV MAb. As a part of the amendment, MedImmune has the option to co-promote Numax with Abbott in up to seven countries outside of the United States. As previously stated, MedImmune intends to market and sell Numax on its own in the United States, the release said here.

"Abbott has been our exclusive distributor of Synagis outside of the US and, since its launch in 1999, the product has experienced significant growth," said David M. Mott, chief executive officer and president of MedImmune. "Expanding our relationship with Abbott to include Numax enables us to build on the success they are already having with Synagis. This new agreement provides MedImmune with a larger portion of the economics from our RSV franchise outside of the US, and longer term, provides us with the opportunity to participate directly in the commercialization of Numax outside the United States," he added.

Numax is a humanized MAb currently being developed to potentially prevent serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in paediatric patients at high risk of RSV disease.