isis and anp to follow

WESTON, Mass. & CARLSBAD, Calif. --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 2012-- Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISIS) today announced that they have entered into an exclusive, worldwide option and collaboration agreement under which the companies will develop and commercialize Isis' antisense investigational drug, ISIS-SMNRx, for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

SMA is a genetic neuromuscular disease characterized by muscle atrophy and weakness, and it is the most common genetic cause of infant mortality. One child out of every 10,000 births worldwide is born with SMA. Children with SMA generally appear normal at birth, with symptoms developing as early as a few months after birth, and in the most severe form of the disease, children have a significantly shortened lifespan. Isis' ISIS-SMNRx is designed to compensate for the underlying genetic defect that causes SMA.

Under the terms of the agreement, Isis will receive an upfront payment of $29 million and is eligible to receive up to $45 million in milestone payments associated with the clinical development of ISIS-SMNRx prior to licensing. Biogen Idec has the option to license ISIS-SMNRx until completion of the first successful Phase 2/3 trial. Isis could receive up to another $225 million in a license fee and regulatory milestone payments. In addition, Isis will receive double-digit royalties on sales of ISIS-SMNRx. Isis will be responsible for global development of ISIS-SMNRx through the completion of Phase 2/3 registrational clinical trials, with Biogen Idec providing advice on the clinical trial design and regulatory strategy. If Biogen Idec exercises its option, it will assume global development, regulatory and commercialization responsibilities.


This article has just been released on the ISIS website.

Isis continues to attract Billion $$$ coy's to invest in the ANTISENSE Drug pipeline the latest being BIOGEN INDEC.........Anp ...let's hope, are not far away also?