Date: 2015-03-09
Type of information: Licensing agreement
Compound: unoprostone isopropyl
Company: Sucampo Pharmaceuticals (USA - MD) R-Tech Ueno (Japan)
Therapeutic area: Ophtalmological diseases
Type agreement: licensing development commercialisation
Action mechanism: prostaglandin analog
Disease: lowering of intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, retinitis pigmentosa and geographic atrophy
Details: * On March 9, 2015, Sucampo Pharmaceuticals announced it will immediately return all licenses for unoprostone isopropyl to R-Tech Ueno. These licenses had provided Sucampo with exclusive development and commercialization rights to unoprostone isopropyl (Rescula®) globally except for Japan, People\'s Republic of China, Taiwan and Korea and covered certain indications, including the lowering of intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, retinitis pigmentosa and geographic atrophy. \"Following our exit from commercialization activities for Rescula® (unoprostone isopropyl) last year and an analysis of preliminary top-line data from RTU\'s Phase 3 trial of unoprostone isopropyl in retinitis pigmentosa, we have concluded not to continue development of the compound aid Peter Greenleaf, Chief Executive Officer of Sucampo. We believe that the most effective way to increase shareholder value is by prioritizing those development programs for which we see the most significant potential. These include lifecycle management for Amitiza®, which is our highest priority program and includes a series of Phase 3 trials in pediatric functional constipation and a new formulation of the product in adults and pediatrics, as well as cobiprostone, which is being evaluated for non-erosive reflux disease and oral mucositis. We are also committed to the diversification of our pipeline beyond prostones and are actively assessing new therapeutic areas and targets both early and mid- to late-stage.\"
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