BRIEF—Opiant Pharma gets rights to Sanofi's acute cannabinoid overdose

US specialty pharma firm Opiant Pharmaceuticals, developing medicines for addictions and drug overdose, has entered into an exclusive global licensing agreement with French major Sanofi for the development and commercialization of the latter’s drinabant for the treatment of acute cannabinoid overdose (ACO).

Opiant intends to develop drinabant, a cannabinoid CB-1 receptor antagonist, as an injectable for administration in an emergency department setting, noting that an oral form of drinabant is slower than needed for emergency situations,.

Based on 2014 rates from the National Emergency Department sample and US Census Bureau figures, Opiant estimates that ACO resulted in more than one million emergency department visits in the United States in 2016.

Under the terms of the transaction, Opiant will pay Sanofi an upfront fee of $500,000, with any further payments contingent on Opiant achieving certain clinical, regulatory and sales milestones.

Opiant will assume all development and commercial responsibilities related to drinabant.