BioCentury
ARTICLE | Company News

Furiex Pharmaceuticals, J&J deal

April 25, 2011 7:00 AM UTC

Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. subsidiary did not exercise an option to regain rights to antibiotic candidate JNJ-Q2 from partner Furiex. According to Furiex, Janssen is focusing future R&D investment in antivirals and vaccines instead of new antibacterials. Janssen gained the option in 2009 when it out-licensed the fluoroquinolone antibiotic to PPD Inc. (NASDAQ:PPDI, Wilmington, N.C.), which later spun-out its compound partnering business into Furiex. The product has completed a Phase II trial in acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) and is in a Phase II trial for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). Janssen is eligible for up to $125 million in milestones, plus royalties. ...