Vectura Group plc confirms Sandoz as partner on VR315 and VR632
9 September 2008
Chippenham, UK – September 9 2008: Vectura Group plc (LSE: VEC) (“Vectura”), the inhalation product development company, announces that Sandoz, the generics division of Novartis, is the exclusive licensee in certain territories for Vectura’s combination asthma/COPD products, VR315 and VR632. Combination therapy for asthma and COPD is the biggest and fastest growing sector of the respiratory market, with annual sales currently exceeding US$9 billion. VR315 is being jointly developed as a generic product delivered with Vectura’s GyroHaler® dry powder inhaler (DPI) delivery device. Vectura licensed the European rights for VR315 to Sandoz in March 2006 and the US rights were licensed to them in December 2006. In December 2007, Sandoz exercised an option to license VR632 in Europe. VR632 is also being developed as a generic combination product using the GyroHaler® DPI.
Vectura is due to receive up to €38 million in milestones and development funding prior to the launch of VR315 and VR632 in Europe, and will earn royalties on all product sales as well as a margin on the commercial manufacture and supply of GyroHaler®. Vectura is also due to receive a share of profits from all Sandoz VR315 US sales, as well as up to $63 million upon achievement of pre-determined development and commercial milestones. Costs for the US development of VR315 are being shared between Vectura and Sandoz on a defined basis.
At a Sandoz investor day on 3 September, a video of the manufacturing facilities for these products, which are now operational, was shown and can be found as part of the web cast of the event at www.novartis.com. Sandoz has invested over $50 million in these manufacturing facilities.
Dr Chris Blackwell, Chief Executive of Vectura, commented:
“These respiratory products are major opportunities for both Sandoz and Vectura. The investments made by both companies are now visible, as is the potential to derive significant value from them.”
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Enquiries:
Vectura Group plc Tel: + 44 (0) 1249 667700
Chris Blackwell, Chief Executive
Anne Hyland, Chief Financial Officer
Julia Wilson, Director of Investor Relations
Financial Dynamics Tel: + 44 (0) 207 831 3113
David Yates / Ben Atwell
Notes for Editors:
About Vectura
Vectura Group plc is a product development company focused on the development of a range of inhaled therapies principally for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Vectura develops products to treat respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis, a market which is forecast to double over the next ten years from $23 billion in 2007 to $46 billion by 2017. Vectura also develops products for non-respiratory diseases where optimised delivery via the lungs could provide significant benefits, such as a rapid onset of action, improved efficacy and improved tolerability compared with current therapies.
Vectura has eight products marketed by its partners and a portfolio of drugs in clinical and pre-clinical development, some of which have been licensed to major pharmaceutical companies. The Company
seeks to develop certain programmes further through development to optimise value through licensing at a later stage. Vectura also offers its formulation and inhalation technologies to other pharmaceutical companies on a licensing basis where this complements Vectura’s business strategy.
Vectura has development collaborations with several pharmaceutical companies including Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis and Sandoz (the generics arm of Novartis). The acquisition of Innovata in January 2007 brought established alliances with a number of additional companies, such as Baxter, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck Generics (part of Mylan Inc), UCB and Otsuka, as well as providing revenue streams, complementary products and critical mass. For further information, please visit Vectura’s website at www.vectura.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements”, including statements about the discovery, development and commercialisation of products. Various risks may cause Sosei’s or Vectura’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including adverse results in clinical development programmes; failure to obtain patent protection for inventions; commercial limitations imposed by patents owned or controlled by third parties; dependence upon strategic alliance partners to develop and commercialise products and services; difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals to market products and services resulting from development efforts; the requirement for substantial funding to conduct research and development and to expand commercialisation activities; and product initiatives by competitors. As a result of these factors, prospective investors are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statement. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
