Firm will have 12 months to exercise its acquisition right.
Forest Laboratories is paying Nabriva Therapeutics $25 million in a co-development deal for Nabriva’s antibacterial agent, BC-3781, and the right to acquire Nabriva over the next 12 months. During the 12-month period, Forest will fund and collaborate with Nabriva on certain development activities.
Forest’s decision to acquire Nabriva will be dependent upon certain contingencies. In 2011, Nabriva announced positive results from a Phase IIb study of BC-3781 in 207 patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) and the parties expect to initiate Phase III studies in 2013. The antibacterial candidate will complement Forest’s existing hospital antibiotic franchise because intravenous and oral forms are expected to provide an opportunity to treat patients after they are discharged from hospital.
BC-3781 belongs to a class of antibiotics called pleuromutilins. The compound reportedly exhibits microbiological activity against a wide range of Gram-positive pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae as well as certain Gram-negative organisms like Legionella pneumophila and Chlamydophila pneumoniae.
In addition, studies to date suggest BC-3781 exhibits no cross resistance with other antibiotic classes and has a low propensity for inducing resistance itself. Based on its profile, BC-3781 may have utility in the treatment of both ABSSSI and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, according to Forest and Nabriva.
