Azur Pharma buys global rights (excl-Europe) to Elan pain drug Prialt

Azur Pharma says it has signed a definitive agreement with fellow Ireland-headquartered Elan to acquire the worldwide rights (excluding Europe) to the latter's analgesic, Prialt (ziconotide intrathecal infusion). Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In early 2006, Irish biotechnology firm Elan agreed to sell the European rights to Prialt, a non-opioid severe chronic pain agent, to Japanese drug major Eisai. At the time, Elan received $50.0 million on closure of the transaction, a further $10.0 million from the launch of the drug in key European markets and was due $40.0 million if the product achieved certain sales revenue in Europe. Further details of the arrangement have not been reported, other than that the drug was launched in the UK in July 2006.

Prialt had 2009 sales of $20 million in the USA

In the USA, Prialt was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in December 2004 for the management of severe chronic pain in patients for whom intrathecal therapy is warranted, and who are intolerant of or refractory to other treatment, such as systemic analgesics, adjunctive therapies, or IT morphine. It was launched there in January 2005. End-user sales of Prialt in the USA were around $20 million and $18 million in 2009 and 2008, respectively, Azur said in its press statement on the deal.