BioCentury
ARTICLE | Product Development

Nycomed Holding its Breath

November 23, 2009 8:00 AM UTC

Following the May expiry of European patents protecting its biggest-selling drug, Nycomed is hoping COPD compound Daxas roflumilast will help fill part of the revenue gap. If approved, the nonsteroidal phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor would be the first innovative COPD treatment to reach the market in 30 years and potentially the first disease-modifying drug ever approved for the disease.

However, proving the latter will take three-to-five year mortality trials that the company and partner Forest Laboratories Inc. haven't yet designed. In the meantime, Nycomed hopes that improved safety and efficacy will drive use of Daxas, which could both replace steroids in later-stage patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and potentially be used earlier in the course of disease than steroids...