Boehringer Ingelheim Acquires New HIV/AIDS Drug from Pharmacia & Upjohn
INGELHEIM, Germany (ots-PRNewswire) -
Boehringer Ingelheim and Pharmacia & Upjohn (NYSE: PNU) announced today that Boehringer Ingelheim has acquired worldwide rights for Pharmacia & Upjohn's investigational protease inhibitor, tipranavir. Under the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim will have exclusive commercial rights to tipranavir in all markets worldwide. Tipranavir is a novel new protease inhibitor currently in Phase II development.
"The addition of a protease inhibitor to our drug portfolio is representative of our long-term commitment to providing a full range of options to the HIV/AIDS community," said Prof. Rolf Krebs, Vice Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors of Boehringer Ingelheim. "In addition to bringing tipranavir to market, we will continue to pursue other HIV/AIDS treatments, and to study our existing anti-HIV agent VIRAMUNE in trials that are relevant to the community."
"We are very pleased to have Boehringer Ingelheim as a partner to continue the development of this very important investigational drug. We have built a strong relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim through our joint development and marketing of Mirapex, and we are confident that this agreement will expedite the development of tipranavir," said Goran Ando, Executive Vice President and President of Research and Development of Pharmacia & Upjohn. "We strongly believe that this agreement is the best option for the future of the product and is in the best interest of patients."
TIPRANAVIR
Tipranavir is the first in a new class of non-peptidic protease inhibitors for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It has a different structure than other currently available protease inhibitors. Results of an in vitro study suggest that tipranavir is active against strains of HIV resistant to current peptidic protease inhibitors. More in vitro studies are planned to help clarify the nature and likelihood of developing resistance to tipranavir.
Clinical trials to date have shown that tipranavir is generally well tolerated. The main side effects appear to be gastrointestinal, particularly diarrhea which was usually successfully treated with simple over-the-counter medication.
VIRAMUNE
Boehringer Ingelheim currently manufactures and markets the HIV/AIDS drug, VIRAMUNE(R) (nevirapine), which belongs to a class of drugs called non- nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). VIRAMUNE is indicated for use in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. This indication is based on analysis of changes in surrogate end-points. At present, there are no results from controlled clinical trials evaluating the effect of VIRAMUNE in combination with other antiretroviral agents on the clinical progression of HIV-1 infection, such as the incidence of opportunistic infections or survival. VIRAMUNE should always be administered in combination with other antiretroviral agents.
VIRAMUNE is a product of original research done at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies. VIRAMUNE is marketed world-wide by Boehringer Ingelheim and in the United States by Roxane Laboratories, also a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies.
The Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies, with headquarters in Ingelheim (Germany) is one of the 20 leading pharmaceutical corporations in the world. It reported revenues exceeding DEM 8.7 billion in 1998.
The corporation has more than 140 affiliated companies and it conducts business on every continent. Its product range is focused on human pharmaceuticals -- hospital, prescription and self-medication -- as well as animal health. Substantial research and development, production, and distribution facilities are located around the globe. In 1998 Boehringer Ingelheim spent DEM 1.6 billion on R&D, equivalent to 18% of total sales.
For more information on Boehringer Ingelheim please see also the company's Internet webpage http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.
Pharmacia & Upjohn (Peapack, New Jersey) is a global, innovation-driven pharmaceutical and health care company. Pharmacia & Upjohn's products, services and employees demonstrate its commitment to improve wellness and quality of life for people around the world.
Contacts:
Ulrich Bock
Corporate Public Relations Division
Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH
55216 Ingelheim
Phone: +49-6132-772012
Fax: +49-6132-776601
Maureen Byrne/Denise Connolly
GCI Healthcare
114 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Phone: +1 (212)-886-3312/3117
Fax: +1 (212)-886-3291
Paul Fitzhenry
Pharmacia & Upjohn
Phone: +1-908-901-8770
Fax: +1-908-901-1840
* Additional information on VIRAMUNE can be found on the web at http://www.VIRAMUNE.com
ots Original Text Service: Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de
Contact:
Ulrich Bock, Corporate Public Relations Division of
Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, +49-6132-772012, or Fax, +49-6132-776601;
or Maureen Byrne, 212-886-3312, or Denise Connolly, 212-886-3117, or
Fax, 212-886-3291, both of GCI Healthcare; or Paul Fitzhenry of
Pharmacia & Upjohn, 908-901-8770, or Fax, 908-901-1840
Web site: http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com
http://www.VIRAMUNE.com
(PNU)
Original-Content von: Boehringer Ingelheim, übermittelt durch news aktuell