Otsuka, UCB narrow deal to CNS

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) and UCB Group (Euronext:UCB) agreed to end the immunology portion of a 2008 partnership in Japan and will no longer co-develop UCB's anti-TNF therapy Cimzia certolizumab pegol. The companies remain partnered for UCB's epilepsy drug Keppra levetiracetam. The decision is in line with Otsuka's previously announced priorities for CNS and cancer, according to the partners.

UCB will continue to develop its immunology pipeline in Japan and plans to submit an NDA in the country for Cimzia this quarter. The product is approved in the EU and U.S. for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in the U.S. for Crohn's disease. UCB was off EUR 0.48 to EUR 31.81 on Friday. ...