Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced a co-promotion agreement with GlaxoSmithKline plc for Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) capsules CII with the aim of improving recognition and treatment of ADHD in adults. This three year agreement covers the United States and will more than double the reach and frequency of the current sales effort for Vyvanse by adding over 600 sales representatives from GSK who call on specialists and primary care physicians. Shire currently has nearly 600 representatives promoting Vyvanse, primarily to paediatricians and psychiatrists.
"Shire is an established leader in developing and commercializing medicines that help patients with ADHD manage their symptoms," said Michael Cola, president of Shire's Specialty Pharmaceuticals business. "Since its launch in 2007, Vyvanse has become the fastest-growing, once-daily, prescription ADHD treatment in the United States and today has achieved nearly 12 per cent of the prescription ADHD market. Increased diagnosis and treatment of adults with ADHD is a significant driver of growth in this category, and by collaborating with GSK, which has two of the most accomplished CNS and Primary Care sales teams in the industry, Vyvanse will be introduced to over 70,000 new physicians. We believe Shire, GSK and adults with ADHD will benefit from this agreement."
"GSK has been active in discovering and developing medicines to treat psychiatric disorders for decades, and neuroscience is one of the company's key therapeutic categories," said Deirdre Connelly, president, GlaxoSmithKline North American Pharmaceuticals. "Our professional sales representatives are well positioned to provide physicians with information on the treatment of adult ADHD with Vyvanse and we look forward to helping meet the needs of adult patients with ADHD."
The GSK sales force is expected to begin promoting Vyvanse to physicians in May 2009. The agreement is based on profit-sharing above an agreed-upon baseline figure.
Vyvanse, which was introduced in the United States in July 2007 for the treatment of ADHD in children aged 6 to 12 years and approved in April 2008 to treat ADHD in adults, is currently available in six dosage strengths of 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg, and 70 mg. To date, more than 4 million Vyvanse prescriptions have been filled, bringing the current US market share to nearly 12 per cent based on weekly branded prescription volume. Additionally, Vyvanse formulary coverage has been positive, with nine of Shire's top 11 managed care organizations covering the product in a preferred formulary position.
Vyvanse is a therapeutically inactive prodrug, in which d-amphetamine is covalently bonded to l-lysine, and after oral ingestion it is converted to pharmacologically active d-amphetamine. The conversion of Vyvanse to d-amphetamine is not affected by gastrointestinal pH and is unlikely to be affected by alterations in GI transit times.
Vyvanse is indicated for the treatment of ADHD. Efficacy based on two controlled trials in children aged 6 to 12 and one controlled trial in adults.
Shire's strategic goal is to become the leading specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician. Shire focuses its business on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), human genetic therapies (HGT) and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases as well as opportunities in other therapeutic areas to the extent they arise through acquisitions.