Sinclair IS in Episil licensing deal with Teva

UK-based specialty drugmaker Sinclair IS Pharma (AIM: SPH.L) has signed a license agreement with Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Nasdaq: TEVA) its oncology supportive care product, Episil (benzydamine hydrochloride).

Under the terms of the agreement, Teva will have the exclusive commercialization rights for Episil in Germany, Spain, Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Sinclair IS retains an option to co-promote the product in Germany and Spain where it has its own direct sales force. Financial details of the license deal have not been disclosed. Teva expects to launch Episil in the final quarter of 2011.

Episil is a patented oral spray indicated for local treatment of pain associated with oral mucositis, a serious side effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy during cancer treatment. Episil creates a strong bioadhesive FluidCrystal film that protects sensitive and sore areas of the mouth providing prolonged pain reduction of at least eight hours. Following the merger with fellow UK-based IS Pharma (The Pharma Letter April 11), Sinclair IS owns the licensing and distribution rights to Episil across Europe (excluding the Nordic countries).