Shire, Takeda, Teva deal

Shire disclosed in its 1Q09 earnings that the company and partner Takeda mutually agreed to terminate a 2008 deal to co-promote Shire's Lialda mesalamine in the U.S. to induce and maintain remission in patients with active, mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). Shire said the termination was for strategic reasons. The original deal was between Shire and Tap Pharmaceutical Products Inc., a JV between Takeda and Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT, Abbott Park, Ill.), but Takeda became the partner after the JV was dissolved last year.

Shire will continue to market Lialda with its own sales force. Shire has exclusive rights to the compound in the U.S., Canada, Europe (except Italy) and the Pacific Rim from Giuliani S.p.A. (Milan, Italy). In February, Shire granted Mochida Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Tokyo:4534, Tokyo, Japan) exclusive rights to Lialda in Japan. The 5-aminosalycylate (5-ASA) mesalamine uses Multi-Matrix (MMX) delayed-release technology from Cosmo Pharmaceuticals S.p.A (SIX:COPN, Lainate, Italy) and is approved in more than 17 countries. ...