MediGene and Teva to commercialise Veregen
German biotech company MediGene has signed an agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries for the supply and commercialisation of a genital warts treatment in Israel.
German biotech company MediGene has signed an agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries for the supply and commercialisation of a genital warts treatment in Israel.
MediGene will receive a milestone payment on completion of regulatory procedures and will be eligible for royalties on sales.
Teva will register the Veregen product in Israel. It is already available in the US and has marketing authorisation in Germany.
Veregen (previously Polyphenon E ointment) contains a concentrate of catechins, extracted from green tea leaves.
MediGene acquired the basic rights to the active substance in Veregen from Canadian company Epitome Pharmaceuticals in 1999, and was solely responsible for the drug's development, as well as for completing approval procedures for the US and Europe. The drug has been available in the US since February 2009 through Nycomed US.
German marketing authorisation for Veregen was granted in September 2009. The launch is scheduled for March this year. Austria and Spain will be added in the next few months.
In 2009 MediGene concluded a supply agreement with Solvay Arzneimittel for Germany, Austria and Spain. The Spanish pharmaceutical company Juste will distribute Veregen in Spain and Portugal.
MediGene is planning to apply for marketing authorisation in more European countries, and will sign additional marketing agreements in and outside Europe.
