ChemGenex Enters Into Agreement With Hospira

ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals (ChemGenex) and Hospira have entered into an exclusive agreement to license, develop and commercialise the former’s omacetaxine mepesuccinate, a targeted cytotoxic pharmaceutical product, in Europe, the Middle East and parts of Africa (Territory)

The company said that the applications for marketing approval of the product have been accepted for regulatory review in both the US and Europe for treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), who have failed to respond to the current standard of care treatment, imatinib mesylate, and who have the Bcr-Abl T315I mutation.

As per the terms of the agreement, Hospira is expected to make an initial payment of E11.1m, with the potential for up to an additional E74.1m, in performance milestone payments based on the successful development and commercialisation of omacetaxine. In addition, following successful commercialisation, Hospira will pay ChemGenex a royalty on product sales in the Territory.

Reportedly, ChemGenex will complete registration of omacetaxine in its initial indication with the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), while Hospira and ChemGenex is expected to collaborate to explore future applications in a variety of hematological malignancies. Hospira will have the responsibility for commercialising omacetaxine in the Territory.

Greg Collier, managing director and CEO of ChemGenex, said: “We are very pleased to announce this important agreement, in keeping with our corporate strategy of partnering in Europe and other parts of the world, as we prepare for the launch of omacetaxine in the US, if approved. We look forward to working with the Hospira team to realise omacetaxine’s potential in the hematology-oncology space in Europe.”