LONDON, May 16 (APM) - Pfizer said on Monday it is buying Anacor Pharmaceuticals in a $5.2 billion cash deal to gain access to its non-steroidal topical gel to treat eczema which is forecast to exceed $2 billion a year.
They said in a joint statement Anacor's lead asset, crisaborole - a differentiated non-steroidal topical PDE4 inhibitor with anti-inflammatory properties - is under review in the U.S. for mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis, commonly referred to as eczema.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is due to announce its decision by January 7 next year.
If approved, Pfizer believes peak year sales for crisaborole have the potential to reach or exceed $2.0 billion.
Head of Pfizer's innovative pharma and vaccines business Albert Bourla said: "We believe the acquisition of Anacor represents an attractive opportunity to address a significant unmet medical need for a large patient population with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis, which currently has few safe topical treatments available.
"Crisaborole is a differentiated asset with compelling clinical data that, if approved, has the potential to be an important first-line treatment option for these patients and the physicians who treat them."
"Our dedicated inflammation and immunology group has strong existing in-market franchises with Enbrel (etanercept) and Xeljanz (tofacitinib citrate), as well as a robust mid-stage pipeline, and this acquisition has the potential to add a near-term U.S. product launch.
"We believe we are well positioned to maximize crisaborole's commercial potential through our strong relationships with pediatricians and primary care physicians."
Anacor also holds the rights to Kerydin, a topical treatment for onychomycosis (toenail fungus) that is distributed and marketed by Sandoz in the U.S.
/nh/tm
TRY APM Market Access AND GET ACCESS TO THE FULL CONTENT
Interviews with KOLs/senior executives amongst the Regulators, Payers, Health, Medical & Pharmaceutical organisations
Events coverage with a unique focus on Market Access & sustainability of healthcare systems
6 European bureaus : Berlin, Brussels, London, Madrid, Milan & Paris
Ask for a Free trial and get access to the latest stories
Our coverage includes:
- Health Care
- Market Access
- HTA – policies & practices
- European medicine regulations
- Drug safety issues
- Pricing & Reimbursement
- International medicines agencies
If you are a Payer, Pharmaceutical or Consulting professional our premium data will keep you informed on the regulatory, pricing, market access and cost-effectiveness issues that impact all stakeholders.
REQUEST
an initial 10 day temporary access of APM Market Access.
