Basilea in $512 million deal with Astellas for antifungal; CellCentric licenses novel epigenetic program to Takeda for up to $200 million

Switzerland-based drug developer Basilea Pharmaceutica has entered into a license, co-development and co-promotion agreement with the US subsidiary of Japanese drug major Astellas for Basilea's azole antifungal agent isavuconazole, which is in Phase III clinical development for the treatment of life-threatening invasive fungal infections, on a worldwide basis, including an option for Japan.

Under the terms of the deal, Basilea will receive an upfront payment of 75 million Swiss francs ($69.4 million) and will be eligible to receive up to 478 million francs in additional payments on achievement of pre-specified development and sales milestones, making a total of some $512 million. Basilea will also receive significant double-digit tiered royalties on sales.

For its part, Astellas is granted an exclusive right to commercialize isavuconazole, while Basilea retains an option to co-promote the product in the USA, Canada, major European countries and the People's Republic of China. The two companies will jointly participate in the development of isavuconazole. Astellas will lead the development and contribute the majority of the investments required for completing the program investigating isavuconazole in the treatment of patients with invasive fungal infections caused by Aspergillus or other filamentous fungi (mold infections) and Candida fungi (yeast infections). Basilea will initially manage manufacturing, but Astellas has the right to take over this function and will bear manufacturing costs for commercial supply and commercialization costs.