Astellas Pharma, FibroGen Conclude Licensing Agreement for Oral Anemia Treatments.Tokyo, Japan, May 2, 2006 - (JCN) - Astellas Pharma and FibroGen jointly have signed an exclusive licensing agreement for FG-2216 and FG-4592, drug candidates for anemia developed by FibroGen. FG-2216 and FG-4592 have a property to increase the production of endogenous erythropoietin (EPO EPO see erythropoietin. EPO Erythropoietin, see there ), a kind of hemopoietic he·mo·poi·e·sis n. Variant of hematopoiesis. he  mo·poi·et ic adj. factors. Under the agreement terms, Astellas Pharma will be licensed to develop and market the agents in Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), community of independent nations established by a treaty signed at Minsk, Belarus, on Dec. 8, 1991, by the heads of state of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Between Dec. 8 and Dec. (CIS Cis (sĭs), same as Kish (1.) (1) (CompuServe Information Service) See CompuServe. (2) (Card Information S ), the Middle East and South Africa. The company will make an upfront payment of $300 million and development milestone payments totaling $465 million, as well as purchasing newly-issued shares of FibroGen at $50 million. Going forward, Astellas Pharma will participate in clinical trials conducted in Europe and the US. Specifically, the two companies plan to start late phase II trials for renal anemia in the first half of 2006. They also plan to launch trials for anemia associated with cancer chemotherapy and cancerous anemia. The agents will be available in Europe by 2012. Regarding FG-2216, Astellas Pharma has obtained an exclusive right to develop and market in Japan. Currently, the company is carrying out phase I trials for renal anemia associated with chronic renal failure chronic renal failure Chronic kidney failure Nephrology A slow decline in renal function, which may be 2º to chronic HTN, DM, CHF, SLE, or sickle cell anemia and, if extreme, leads to ESRD, mandating kidney dialysis; an abrupt decline in renal function may be in Japan. Copyright [c] 2006 Japan Corporate News Network. All rights reserved. |
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