Vifor Pharma, a company of the Galenica Group, and ChemoCentryx, Inc. announced that Vifor Pharma has gained rights to commercialize avacopan in Asia, including Japan and the Middle East.
ChemoCentryx retains all rights in the United States and China.Avacopan (CCX168) is an orally-administered inhibitor of the complement 5a receptor (C5aR) and is currently in Phase III development for rare renal diseases.
The expanded agreement effectively gives Vifor Pharma rights to commercialize avacopan for orphan and rare renal diseases in all markets outside the United States and China, building on the original licensing agreement signed in May 2016.
ChemoCentryx will receive an upfront cash commitment of USD 20 million in return for the new rights, plus tiered double-digit royalties on potential net sales. This is in addition to the USD 85 million upfront paid under the original May 2016 licensing agreement.
Avacopan is being developed by ChemoCentryx for the treatment of orphan and rare renal conditions including but not limited to anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic auto-antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). AAV is a systemic disease which most commonly presents as kidney dysfunction.
AAV is currently treated with courses of non-specific immuno-suppressants (cyclophosphamide or rituximab), combined with high-dose corticosteroid administration, which is associated with significant safety issues, including premature death. Avacopan is in Phase III development (the ADVOCATE trial) for the treatment of AAV and is also in development for other orphan and rare renal diseases, including C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS).
“The expansion of avacopan territory rights with renal care leader Vifor Pharma, and with ChemoCentryx retaining all US and China rights, expertly positions our rare renal disease portfolio for global commercialization,” said Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and CEO of ChemoCentryx.
“We have now harmonized both the avacopan and the subsequent agreement which we signed in late December for another rare renal asset, CCX140, in our highly productive Kidney Health Alliance with Vifor Pharma. ChemoCentryx also has greater than USD 200 million in proforma reserves, based on our last filings, providing for an ambitious development plan for avacopan and CCX140 in orphan and rare renal diseases. We and Vifor Pharma believe these two unique clinical assets have
the potential to transform lives of those with devastating rare renal diseases, and to build extraordinary value for both of our enterprises.”
“The acquisition of global commercialization rights outside the US and China demonstrates our strong belief in the potential of avacopan in a wide range of rare and orphan renal diseases,” said Gianni Zampieri, CEO of Vifor Pharma. “This agreement further strengthens our growing partnership with ChemoCentryx, and underlines our commitment to bring highly innovative therapies to patients with serious renal conditions around the world.”
Vifor Pharma – Media Relations:
Beatrix Benz, Head of Global Communications & Public Affairs
Tel.: +41 58 851 80 16
E-mail: media@viforpharma.com
ChemoCentryx Contacts:
Susan M. Kanaya
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
E-mail: investor@chemocentryx.com
Media:
Denise Powell
Tel.: +1 510.703.9491
E-mail: denise@redhousecomms.com
Investors:
Steve Klass
Burns McClellan
Tel.: +1 212.213.0006
E-mail: sklass@burnsmc.com
