Basilea licenses Cresemba to Hikma for MENA region

Swiss drugmaker Basilea Pharmaceutica (SIX: BSLN) has extended its distribution and supply agreement for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with Jordan-based Hikma Pharmaceuticals (LSE: HIK) to include the antifungal Cresemba (isavuconazole) in addition to Zevtera (ceftobiprole).

In October 2015, Basilea signed an exclusive distribution and supply agreement with Hikma for Basilea's broad-spectrum hospital antibiotic Zevtera for the MENA region. Under the terms of the amended agreement, Hikma has the exclusive right to register, distribute and market isavuconazole across the region. Isavuconazole received European marketing authorization in October 2015 for the treatment of adult patients with invasive aspergillosis and for the treatment of adult patients with mucormycosis for whom amphotericin B is inappropriate. The European regulatory dossier will be the basis for regulatory filings in MENA countries.

David Veitch, Basilea's chief commercial officer, stated: "With this extension of our partnership with Hikma, a leading pharmaceutical company in the Middle East and North Africa region, we are building on a successful collaboration that was established last year which has already led to the first regulatory submissions for ceftobiprole in the MENA region. We look forward to our two anti-infective brands being available to physicians and patients in the MENA region for the treatment of severe and often life-threatening infections. Our partnership with Hikma is in line with our strategy to commercialize both Cresemba and Zevtera in as many regions as possible to maximize their global potential to benefit patients, physicians and Basilea."