Both programmes were developed by Nektar using their proprietary small-molecule advanced polymer conjugate technology platform.
Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will assume the responsibility for the continued development of both the NKTR-118 and the NKTR-119 programmes, including the initiation of late-stage clinical studies for NKTR-118. AstraZeneca expects completion of the design of the Phase III programme in the near term and anticipates filing the drug with regulators in 2013. AstraZeneca will also be responsible for global manufacturing and marketing for both programmes. Under the agreement, Nektar will receive an upfront payment of $125 million for both NKTR-118 and NKTR-119.
NKTR-118 has completed a Phase II clinical trial and is being developed to treat constipation caused by the use of opioid pain products. Under the agreement, for NKTR-118, Nektar is eligible to receive up to $235 million in aggregate payments upon the achievement of certain regulatory milestones, as well as additional tiered sales milestone payments of up to $375 million if the product achieves considerable levels of commercial success. Nektar will also be eligible to receive double-digit royalty payments on net sales of NKTR-118 worldwide.
NKTR-119 is an early-stage drug development programme that is intended to combine oral NKTR-118 with selected opioids, with the goal of treating pain without the side-effect of constipation, which is traditionally associated with opioid therapy. AstraZeneca will continue the development of this programme, which will include determining the appropriate opioid combinations with NKTR-118. For NKTR-119, Nektar is eligible to receive development milestone payments, as well as tiered sales milestone payments. Nektar will also receive double-digit royalty payments on NKTR-119 net sales worldwide.
‘NKTR-118 is an important late-stage programme that has the potential to address a real need for patients,’ said David Brennan, Chief Executive Officer of AstraZeneca. ’We are excited about this agreement with Nektar, as it provides us the opportunity to apply our deep knowledge and expertise in neuroscience, oncology and gastrointestinal areas of medicine to create real value for patients. This is a good example of using externalisation to enrich the company's late-stage pipeline.’
’We are extremely pleased to enter into this exclusive global license agreement with AstraZeneca,’ said Howard W. Robin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nektar Therapeutics. ’AstraZeneca has a strong history of creating and establishing market-leading brands, which makes them the ideal development and commercial partner for our NKTR-118 and NKTR-119 programmes. In addition to the promise that these potential products provide to patients, this partnership validates Nektar's successful strategy to create novel oral small-molecule drug candidates with our advanced polymer conjugate technology platform.’
NKTR-118 is an investigational drug candidate that combines Nektar's advanced small-molecule polymer conjugate technology platform with naloxol, a derivative of the opioid-antagonist drug naloxone. Results from NKTR-118's Phase II clinical trial will be presented at an oral plenary session of the American College of Gastroenterology 2009 Annual Scientific Meeting in October.
It is estimated that of those patients who take opiates chronically for pain management, anywhere from 40% to 90% will develop constipation. Less than half of those patients find effective relief from current treatment options that include prescription and over-the-counter laxatives and stool softeners. These symptoms of bowel dysfunction are a result of the drug binding to the mu-opioid receptor in the gut. Opioid-induced bowel dysfunction encompasses symptoms such as constipation, bloating, abdominal cramping and gastroesophageal reflux. Constipation is the hallmark of this syndrome and is generally its most prominent component.
According to IMS Health, approximately 230 million prescriptions were written for opioids in 2007 in the United States alone. This is estimated to represent approximately 65%–75% of the worldwide opioid market. Currently, there are no oral drugs approved that are indicated to treat opioid-induced constipation. Opioid bowel dysfunction and opioid-induced constipation can substantially impact quality of life and increase healthcare use.