OPKO Health Inc. and Pfizer Inc. have entered into an agreement for the development and commercialization of OPKO’s long-acting hGH-CTP for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in adults and children, as well as for the treatment of growth failure in children born small for gestational age (SGA) who fail to show catch-up growth by 2 years of age.
hGH-CTP has the potential to reduce the required dosing frequency of human growth hormone to a single weekly injection from the current standard of one injection per day, according to a press release. hGH-CTP is currently in a global phase 3 trial in adults and a global phase 2 trial in children and has orphan drug designation in the U.S. and Europe for both adults and children with GHD. Pfizer will receive the exclusive license to commercialize hGH-CTP worldwide.
OPKO will lead the clinical activities and will be responsible for funding the development programs for the key indications, which includes Adult and Pediatric GHD and Pediatric SGA. Pfizer will be responsible for all development costs for additional indications as well as all post-marketing studies. In addition, Pfizer will fund the commercialization activities for all indications and lead the manufacturing activities covered by the global development plan.
"We believe this collaboration will help advance our commitments to patients with Adult and Pediatric Growth Hormone Deficiency as we believe Pfizer’s strengths, expertise and presence in the human growth hormone space makes them the ideal partner for our hGH-CTP program," said OPKO's CEO, Phillip Frost, M.D. "Our collaboration enables full alignment between Pfizer and OPKO to optimize development and potentially bring an innovative treatment to patients."
“This agreement strengthens Pfizer’s commitment to rare diseases, and we are pleased to work with OPKO to help provide a potential next-generation therapy for patients with Adult and Pediatric Growth Hormone Deficiency,” said Geno Germano, group president, Pfizer Global Innovative Pharma (GIP). “Long-acting growth hormone is the first innovation in the GHD space in 20 years. hGH-CTP would be complementary to our existing Genotropin franchise, and could potentially provide an option that could improve patients’ adherence to treatment with once weekly dosing.”
The transaction is expected to close during the first-quarter of 2015. Read the full release
