Pfizer acquired the option to use Flamel’s Medusa when it took over Wyeth.
Pfizer exercised its option to license Flamel Technologies’ Medusa® platform to develop a controlled-release (CR) formulation of an already-marketed therapeutic protein. The decision triggered a $1 million fee to Flamel, as per an agreement between Flamel and Wyeth.
In January Pfizer offered to pay $68 billion for Wyeth. The acquisition successfully closed last month.
Pfizer will take over Wyeth’s responsibilities under its deal with Flamel, paying all development costs, milestone fees, and royalties on worldwide sales. The alliance was formed in 2007 to evaluate Medusa’s ability to create CR formulations of therapeutic proteins for intravenous administration.
The Medusa technology is designed to deliver CR formulations of proteins, peptides, other large molecules, as well as small molecules. The platform is being applied to improve its partners’ already-marketed and novel biologics with respect to safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics. Flamel reports that Medusa also offers solutions to threshold issues such as aggregation and solubility.
