Avid Corp., DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical Co. deal

Avid paid an undisclosed fee for global rights to an exclusive option to DuPont Merck's DMP 450 HIV protease inhibitor. Avid said it intends to exercise the option in the next few months, for which it will pay a licensing fee. DuPont Merck will be eligible for milestone payments and royalties. The compound has completed Phase I trials. In those studies, the compound was tolerated at doses as high as 1,000 mg given 11 times over four days. Avid plans a Phase I/II trial to evaluate longer term three times daily dosing. Avid said DMP 450 has a non-peptide structure and good aqueous solubility. ...