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Ipsen to regain control of its botulinum product
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PARIS — U.S. marketing rights to a botulinum toxin drug have been returned to Beaufour Ipsen by Inamed as part of Inamed’s preparation for its merger with Allergan.
The drug, Reloxin (botulinum toxin type A), would compete with Allergan’s Botox (botulinum toxin type A) in the United States if approved by U.S. regulators.
Paris-based Ipsen already controls “rest of the world” rights to the drug, which is marketed under the name Dysport. Under an agreement between Ipsen and Inamed in 2002, Reloxin was to be marketed in the United States, Canada and Japan by Inamed. Inamed has been developing Reloxin in the U.S. market since the time of that deal, according to a Dow Jones report.
When Allergan completes its merger with Inamed, Ipsen will take back the U.S. rights to the drug, according to a press release from Allergan. Ipsen will pay Inamed $10 million to recover the rights, according to Dow Jones.
Until the Allergan/Inamed merger is completed, Inamed retains responsibility for phase 3 trials of the drug. Ipsen has previously stated that a new drug application is expected to be filed for the drug in the United States in 2007.
“With the execution of a termination agreement regarding Reloxin, we are moving rapidly to clear all regulatory hurdles and obtain Federal Trade Commission and other governmental clearances to consummate the acquisition,” said David E.I. Pyott, Allergan’s chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer, in the Allergan press release.