Dive Brief:
- Bayer has struck a deal worth up to $155 million for a blood thinning agent from Isis Pharma. The goal is to bolster Bayer's cardiovascular (CVD) franchise, which includes Xarelto, a novel oral anticoaguant (NOAC).
- The drug is a blood-thinner known as ISIS-FX1.
- The drug is being tested for prevention of thrombosis and is moving into phase II.
Dive Insight:
While Bayer has faced its share of woes with Xarelto and a spate of lawsuits related to uncontrollable bleeding, it is still a blockbuster drug with annual sales in excess of $1 billion. At the same time, its main competitor, Boehringer Ingelheim, recently submitted an application to the FDA and the EMA for an antidote—idarucizumab—designed to reverse the effects of its NOAC, Pradaxa. Therefore, the goal for Bayer is to strengthen its franchise.
Under the agreement, Isis is receiving $100 million up front, and can potentially receive another $55 million depending on phase II outcomes in patients with compromised kidney function.