Teva abandons development of laquinimod after multiple failures

6 September 2018

Following a string of disappoints in the development of in-licensed compound laquinimod, Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE: TEVA) has returned rights on the product to Swedish originator Active Biotech (OTC: STVBF), whose shares were down 4.94% at 3.75 Swedish kronor by early afternoon trading.

Teva had been developing the small molecule since 2004 and had hopes that it would replace top selling multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone (glatiramer acetate), but it flunked in a mid-stage MS study late last year, as well as in Huntington’s disease in July this year.

Teva's decision to return the rights is based on the fact that Teva does not intend to continue the clinical development of laquinimod. As a consequence of the decision and in accordance with the license agreement, the full rights, including all data generated in the comprehensive preclinical and clinical development program that Teva has conducted since 2004, will revert to Active Biotech.

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free. A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Try before you buy

Free

7 day trial access

Take a Free Trial

All the news that moves the needle in pharma and biotech
Exclusive features, podcasts, interviews, data analyses and commentary from our global network of life sciences reporters.
Receive The Pharma Letter daily news bulletin, free forever.

Become a subscriber

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now

Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription

The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK