BRIEF—New nod triggers $32.5 million Prevymis payment

German infectious disease specialist AiCuris Anti-infective Cures has received a milestone payment of around $32.5 million from partner Merck & Co after a new US approval for Prevymis (letermovir).

Since 2017, Prevymis has been approved to protect allogeneic stem cell transplanted patients from infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV).

The new nod expands the approved uses of the therapy to include protection from CMV disease after kidney transplant in certain patients.

Chief executive Larry Edwards said the nod “validates our comprehensive research and development engine and supports the development of our pipeline.”

AiCuris also has pritelivir in late stage development, for treatment of resistant herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections in immunocompromised people.