group, announced today that they have entered into an agreement to co-promote the new migraine drug FROVA (frovatriptan succinate) in the United States.
Elan and UCB will launch FROVA in the second quarter of 2002.
Under the terms of the co-promotion agreement, UCB will co-promote FROVA with Elan to neurologists using their combined sales forces of 265 field personnel.
UCB will also promote FROVA with its primary care sales force of approximately 475 field representatives. The co-promotion between the
companies covers a seven-year period.
The financial terms of the transaction
were not disclosed.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved FROVA 2.5 mg tablets in November 2001 for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura in adults.
Migraine attacks typically last 4 to 72 hours. One of FROVA's unique features is that it has a half-life of 26 hours. No other currently marketed triptan has a half-life of more than 6 hours.
Approximately 10 percent of the U.S. population experience migraine attacks. Of this 27 million population, more than 50 percent remain under-diagnosed or under-treated.
Elan Corporation, plc is a leading worldwide, fully integrated biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Ireland, with its principal
research, development, manufacturing and marketing facilities located in Ireland and the United States.
Elan is focused on the marketing of therapeutic products and services in neurology, pain management, oncology, infectious disease, dermatology and on the development and commercialization of products using its extensive range of proprietary drug delivery technologies.
UCB Pharma, Inc., with U.S. headquarters in Smyrna, Georgia, is the North American subsidiary of the global research-based pharmaceutical sector of UCB S.A. This Pharmaceutical sector is dedicated to the development and commercialization of innovative pharmaceutical products for the treatment of neurological diseases and allergy-asthma.
UCB S.A. has core businesses in
pharmaceuticals, chemicals and films, and employs approximately 10,000 people
globally and operates in more than 100 countries. Worldwide headquarters are
located in Brussels, Belgium.
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