Sun Pharma acquires Novartis' oncology brand Odomzo for US$ 175 mn

Mumbai: Sun Pharma has acquired a branded oncology product, Odomzo (sonidegib), from Novartis for an upfront payment of $ 175 million (about Rs 1180 crore) and additional milestone payments. The agreement has been signed between subsidiaries of both the companies and will close following anti-trust clearance and further closing conditions.

Odomzo, approved by the US FDA in July 2015, is a hedgehog pathway inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (laBCC) that has recurred following surgery or radiation therapy, or those who are not candidates for surgery or radiation therapy. Approximately 70 percent of the prescribers are dermatologists and rests are oncologists for this class of drug.

Kirti Ganorkar, global head - business development, Sun Pharma, commented, “Odomzo gives us an opportunity to meaningfully expand our already established branded dermatology business and support our expansion into branded oncology with a launched brand. We see meaningful global potential for Odomzo by leveraging Sun Pharma’s existing dermatology and oncology infrastructure to provide an innovative product to BCC patients worldwide.”

According to IMS Health, the hedgehog inhibitor class grew by 40 percent Oct 2016 YTD versus prior year. Importantly new data supporting the use of Odomzo were presented at ASCO in June 2016. Data from the BOLT trial showed continued antitumor activity for more than 26 months in patients treated with Odomzo with no new safety concerns. At the 30-month follow-up, patients with locally advanced BCC had an overall response rate (ORR) as per central review of 56 percent with Odomzo 200 mg.

“We look forward to collaborating with the medical community to bring this novel therapy to the market to patients suffering from locally advanced basal cell carcinoma. Odomzo complements and enhances our existing dermatology franchise. This acquisition has the potential to leverage and expand the relationships that our Levulan sales team have with the dermatologists that treat common pre-cancerous skin conditions,” said Jesper Jensen, head – biologics and dermatology, Sun Pharma.

Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common form of skin cancer globally. BCC accounts for approximately 80 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers, accounting for over 2 million estimated cases in the US alone. BCC consists of abnormal, uncontrolled growths or lesions that arise in the skin’s basal cells, which line the outermost layer of the skin. It occurs most frequently on the head and neck, with the nose being the most common site.

BCC that spreads from where it started to nearby tissue is called locally advanced and can be highly disfiguring. Advanced BCC is thought to represent roughly 1-10 percent of all cases of BCC. Worldwide incidence of BCC is rising by 10 percent each year due to factors such as an aging population and increased ultraviolet exposure.

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