PharmaMar, a multinational biopharmaceutical company based in Spain that has fillies in other parts of the world, announced an agreement with Singapore-based Specialised Therapeutics Asia Pte, Ltd (STA) to market marine-based anti-tumour compound Aplidin (plitidepsin) for the treatment of haematological tumours in 12 Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Aplidin (plitidepsin), the second anti-tumour compound to be developed by PharmaMar from a marine organism, is currently undergoing development for the treatment of haematological tumours. A number of clinical trials are currently under way in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, such as the ADMYRE phase III trial, as well as a phase II trial in T-cell lymphoma. Plitidepsin has been granted orphan drug status by the regulatory agencies in Europe (EMA) and the US (FDA).

José María Fernández Sousa-Faro, chairman of PharmaMar, commented: "We are proud to enter into agreements with laboratories such as STA that enable us to ensure that all patients who need plitidepsin will have access to it. We are firmly committed to advancing in the development of innovative oncology therapies."

Carlo Montagner, CEO of Specialised Therapeutics Asia: "We look forward to working with PharmaMar to ensure this valuable multiple myeloma therapy is available as soon as possible to patients in key South East Asia regions, as well as in Australia and New Zealand". He added "Aplidin may be highly valuable as a new therapeutic for this difficult to treat cancer. While multiple myeloma remains relatively rare, it is an insidious disease with one of the lowest survival rates in oncology."

Under the terms of the agreement, PharmaMar is entitled an upfront payment, recurring payments for sales, and additional remuneration for sales and regulatory milestones attained by Aplidin (plitidepsin). PharmaMar will retain exclusive production rights and will supply the product to STA for sale in those 12 Asian countries.