Milan – January 10, 2017 – Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. (“Newron”) (SIX: NWRN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for patients with diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) and pain, is pleased to note the news from its partner Zambon S.p.A., that it has entered into a long term partnership with Seqirus covering Zambon’s Parkinson’s disease product (Xadago®) in Australia and New Zealand. Zambon will be responsible for product supply and Seqirus will undertake registration and commercialisation of the product.
The full text of the announcement from Zambon and Seqirus is as follows:
Seqirus and Zambon in partnership for Parkinson’s Disease product in Australia and New Zealand
? Seqirus and Zambon announce a partnership in Australia and New Zealand that grants Seqirus exclusive rights to commercialise Zambon’s Parkinson’s disease product, licensed from Newron
? Partnership reinforces Zambon commitment to developing and bringing innovative central nervous system (CNS) options to patients
Melbourne, Australia: Zambon and Seqirus today announced that they have entered into a long term partnership covering Zambon’s Parkinson’s Disease product, in Australia and New Zealand. Zambon will be responsible for product supply and Seqirus will undertake registration and commercialisation of the product.br>
Parkinson’s Disease is one of the most common neurological illnesses in Australia, with approximately 70,000 Australians living with Parkinson’s.1 It is a chronic, progressive, incurable, complex and disabling neurological condition that affects people from all walks of life. Parkinson’s is categorised by clinicians as a “movement disorder” but in many cases it results in impaired speech and various mental health issues, such as depression and problems with memory and sleep.1
The collaboration with Zambon consolidates Seqirus’ position of being a leading in-licensing partner in the Australian and New Zealand market.
“We recognise that access to more therapy options is very important to Australian healthcare professionals and Parkinson’s sufferers,” said Seqirus’ VP Commercial Operations, Dr Lorna Meldrum. “We are delighted to work with Zambon for the distribution, marketing and sales of Zambon’s Parkinson’s product which is an important addition to Seqirus’ growing product range and further strengthens our broad portfolio of in-licensed medicines in Australia,” she said.
Roberto Tascione, CEO of Zambon said “Expanding the reach of Zambon’s products by entering new growth markets is an important part of our strategy. Seqirus is an attractive partner being a large local pharmaceutical company in Australia with a prominent track record in neurology. Australia and New Zealand are markets with resilient economies, substantial disease prevalence and established Parkinson’s Disease markets”.
1 Deloitte Access Economics, Living with Parkinson’s Disease, An updated economic analysis
About Parkinson’s disease (PD)
PD is the second most common chronic progressive neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly after Alzheimer’s disease, affecting 1-2% of individuals aged = 65 years worldwide. The prevalence of PD is expected to grow in the next few years due to the increase in the global population and advancements in healthcare that contribute to an aging population at increased risk for PD. The diagnosis of PD is mainly based on observational criteria of muscular rigidity, resting tremor, or postural instability in combination with bradykinesia (slow movement). As the disease progresses, symptoms become more severe. Early-stage patients are more easily managed on L-dopa. L-dopa remains as the most effective treatment for PD, and over 75% of the patients with PD receive L-dopa. However, long term treatment with L-dopa leads to seriously debilitating motor fluctuations, i.e. phases of normal functioning (ON-time) and decreased functioning (OFF-time).
Furthermore, as a result of the use of high doses of L-dopa with increasing severity of the disease, many patients experience involuntary movements known as Ldopa- Induced Dyskinesia (LID). As the disease progresses, more drugs are used as an add-on to what the patient already takes, and the focus is to treat symptoms while managing LID and the “off-time” effects of L-dopa. Most current therapies target the dopaminergic system that is implicated in the pathogenesis of PD, and most current treatments act by increasing dopaminergic transmission that leads to amelioration of motor symptoms.
References:
BMC Oertel. European Handbook of Neurological Management, Vol1, Chapter 14 & 15, 2011.
NICE PD guideline, 2006.
