Vanguard's headache

SmithKline Beecham's decision to drop commercialization of Vanguard Medica Ltd.'s frovatriptan VML-251 oral selective 5HT1D receptor agonist has left VGD without a marketing partner for the migraine treatment, which has completed Phase III development.

While VGD plans an NDA submission in December, the company will need to find another marketing partner that can withstand competition from four major pharma companies. However, frovatriptan has some advantages that may set it apart from the crowd...