Ligand will pay $12 million to Novan and in return will be entitled to receive a tiered royalty of 7% to 10%, as well as up to $20 million in regulatory and commercial milestones. Novan is responsible for all expenses to develop or commercialize SB206, and will use 100% of the proceeds from this transaction in the development and pursuit of regulatory approval for SB206.
“This deal enables Ligand to participate in the potential future revenue of a promising Phase 3 stage asset with a potential commercial launch in 2021. The drug candidate targets a condition mostly affecting children and with a significant unmet medical need,” said John Higgins, Chief Executive Officer of Ligand. “We believe Novan is a well-capitalized company with an experienced management team. This deal adds an attractive late-stage asset to our growing list of partnered programs that could be approved and launch within the next three years.”
About SB206
Novan is developing SB206 as a nitric-oxide-based topical gel for the treatment of viral skin infections, with a current focus on the treatment of molluscum contagiosum, a contagious skin infection caused by the molluscipoxvirus. There are currently no therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of molluscum. Nitric oxide has diverse biological activity within the body, affecting the immune, cardio/pulmonary and neurological systems, and depending on dose and release kinetics, nitric oxide can have agonistic or antagonistic effects. The role and mechanics of nitric oxide have been well researched. Novan’s technology platform is the first macromolecular platform to achieve stable, tunable and druggable delivery of nitric oxide. SB206, if approved, could be a topical, at-home, caregiver-applied therapy with a rapid treatment benefit. Novan’s issued U.S. and foreign patents and pending U.S. and foreign patent applications, if issued, relating to SB206 are projected to expire between 2026 and 2034.
Source: Company Press Release