Viatris Enters into Agreement with Lexicon on Global Rights to Sotagliflozin Outside U.S. and Europe
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Viatris has entered an exclusive licensing agreement with Lexicon Pharmaceuticals for the rights to sotagliflozin in markets outside the United States and Europe.
Sotagliflozin is an oral inhibitor targeting sodium-glucose cotransporter types 1 and 2 (SGLT1 and SGLT2), which regulate glucose absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and glucose reabsorption in the kidneys.
The drug has been studied in around 20,000 patients, focusing on heart failure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.
Sotagliflozin, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2023, is used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalisations, and urgent heart failure visits in adults with conditions such as heart failure, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and other cardiovascular risk factors.
The licensing agreement aligns with Viatris' focus on expanding its cardiovascular portfolio, leveraging its global infrastructure to increase access to innovative treatments.
The company will manage all regulatory and commercial activities for sotagliflozin in the licensed territories, while Lexicon will continue to supply the drug for clinical and commercial use.
As part of the agreement, Viatris will pay Lexicon $25 million upfront, with potential additional payments based on regulatory and sales milestones.
The deal also includes tiered royalties on annual net sales, ranging from low double digits to upper teens. Viatris plans to account for this as an asset acquisition.
Source: viatris.com
