Medivir acquires preclinical antiviral programs including hepatitis C and prodrug technologies
Stockholm, Sweden—Medivir AB (OMX: MVIR), announced today that it has acquired preclinical research stage assets from Novadex Pharmaceuticals AB. The acquisition includes intellectual property and prodrug technologies in order to further strengthen Medivir’s hepatitis C platform and know how.
The acquired portfolio of research stage antiviral programs includes novel nucleotide polymerase inhibitors that have been identified and developed. It also includes prodrug technologies which could be applied to both protease inhibitors and nucleoside analogues to enhance their overall pharmacokinetic properties.
“We are very pleased to be able to make these additions to the Medivir R&D portfolio, which will further strengthen our pipeline and capabilities in the antiviral disease area. There are several synergies with the Medivir anti-viral projects and prodrug approaches which we aim to explore” comments Charlotte Edenius, Medivir’s EVP of Research and Development
The transaction value, which consists of up-front payment as well as future potential milestone payments, is not disclosed.
For more information about Medivir, please contact:
Medivir Rein Piir, EVP Corporate Affairs & IR |
Direct: +46 8 440 6550 or: Mobile: +46 708 537 292 |
M:Communications Europe: Mary-Jane Elliott, Amber Bielecka, Hollie Vile |
medivir@mcomgroup.com +44(0)20 7920 2330 |
About Medivir
Medivir is an emerging research-based pharmaceutical company focused on infectious diseases. Medivir has world class expertise in polymerase and protease drug targets and drug development which has resulted in a strong infectious disease R&D portfolio. The Company’s key pipeline asset is simeprevir (TMC435), a novel protease inhibitor in phase III clinical development for hepatitis C that is being developed in collaboration with Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
In June 2011, Medivir acquired the specialty pharmaceutical company BioPhausia. and today Medivir has a broad product portfolio with prescription pharmaceuticals in the Nordics.
Medivir’s first product, the unique cold sore product Xerese®/Xerclear®, is launched in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline to be sold OTC under the brand name ZoviDuo in Europe, Japan and Russia.
Medivir’s IPO was in 1996 and currently the company has around 180 employees.
For more information about Medivir, please visit the Company’s website: www.medivir.com