Biogen assumes full development responsibilities for hemophilia therapy

Biogen Idec Inc today said that it would assume full development responsibilities and costs, as well as manufacturing rights for its haemophilia therapy that it was developing in partnership with speciality pharma firm Swedish Orphan Biovitrum

The two companies said in a joint statement that they have restructured the collaboration agreement for the companies' long-acting, recombinant Factor VIII Fc fusion protein (rFVIIIFc) in haemophilia A patients and the recombinant Factor IX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) in haemophilia B patients.

Under the amended agreement, Biogen will assume full development responsibilities and costs, as well as manufacturing rights for the rFVIIIFc and rFIXFc programs.

Biogen Idec will take on marketing responsibility for the rest-of-world territories that had previously been shared between the two companies, in addition to its existing commercial rights in North America.

Orphan Biovitrum will retain commercial rights in Europe, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East.

The cross-royalty rate has been reduced for both companies. The royalty rates will be further adjusted until Biogen Idec's increased costs are reimbursed, the companies said in a statement.