Novartis and Vectura's NVA237 filed in Europe; positive Ph III data at ERS; Gilenya, Ilaris approved in Japan

Shares of UK-based Vectura (LSE: VEC) rose 5.5% to 91 pence by midday yesterday, after the company announces that NVA237 (glycopyrronium bromide), a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) being investigated as a once-daily treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), has been filed by partner Novartis (NOVN: VX) for marketing authorization with the European Medicines Agency under the brand-name Seebri Breezhaler, triggering a $5 million milestone payment to Vectura from the Swiss drug major.

There was further good news for Novartis, with the approval by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan for two of its new products: Gilenya (fingolimod), the first high efficacy oral therapy approved in Japan for the prevention of relapse and delay of progression of physical disability in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS); and Ilaris(canakinumab), the first drug approved in Japan for the treatment of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS), a rare and debilitating auto inflammatory disease

In the USA, Gilenya – which is licensed from Japanese drug major Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma - is approved for relapsing forms of MS, while in the European Union it is cleared for people with highly active relapsing-remitting MS despite treatment with beta interferon, or in patients with rapidly evolving severe relapsing-remitting MS.