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TOP STORIES BUSINESS “This is an important milest
one for Oasmia in its transition towards becoming a fully integrated pharmaceutical company. As a second step, we intend to continue our efforts of engaging strategic partners for Apealea in other territories.” SVEN ROHMANN, ACTING CEO, OASMIA BUSINE S S D E A L The company has agreed to sublicense its global rights to Movantik (naloxegol), excluding Europe, Canada and Israel, to RedHill Biopharma. M 3d illustration of ovarian cancer NEW MA RK E T OASMIA PHARMACEUTICAL IS LAUNCHING ITS PRODUCT, APEALEA, AN OVARIAN CANCER TREATMENT DRUG, IN SWEDEN, DENMARK AND FINLAND. PEALEA IS A WATERSOLUBLE, intravenously injectable formulation of paclitaxel, developed using Oasmia’s technology platform – XR17 – which facilitates the solubility of paclitaxel. Paclitaxel is a chemotherapy medication used to treat a number of types of cancers. Apealea has been authorized for marketing by the European Commission. Apealea in combination with Carboplatin is approved for the treatment of adult patients with first relapse of platinum-sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal cancer and fallopian tube cancer. “This is an important milestone for Oasmia in its transition towards becoming a fully integrated pharmaceutical company. As a second step, we intend to continue our efforts of engaging strategic partners for Apealea in other territories,” says Sven Rohmann, acting CEO, Oasmia. OVANTIK IS A peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist (PAMORA) indicated for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation (OIC). As part of the agreement, AstraZeneca will continue to manufacture and supply Movantik to RedHill during a transition period. In 2015, AstraZeneca entered into a co-commercialization agreement with Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. for Movantik in the US, which will be transferred to RedHill. RedHill will make an upfront payment of $52.5 million to AstraZeneca on closing and a further non-contingent payment of $15 million in 2021. “This divestment supports our strategy to realize value from medicines in our portfolio that are mature or outside our current scope to enable reinvestment in our main therapy areas,” says Ruud Dobber, EVP BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, AstraZeneca. Ruud Dobber, EVP, Biopharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca 16 NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG