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SK Biopharmaceuticals, Eurofarma Enter into Licensing Agreement for Cenobamate in Latin America
2022.07.14SK Biopharmaceuticals, Eurofarma Enter into Licensing Agreement for Cenobamate in Latin America
SK Biopharmaceuticals will now be present in four continents -- North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America
Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, Korea, July 14, 2022 – SK Biopharmaceuticals today announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement for Eurofarma, a Brazilian pharmaceutical company with business in over 20 countries, to develop and commercialize cenobamate in Latin America for the treatment of epilepsy. Cenobamate is approved and available in the United States and Europe for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults.
Under the terms of the agreement, SK Biopharmaceuticals has granted Eurofarma the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize cenobamate in Latin America. In return, SK Biopharmaceuticals will receive an upfront payment of US$15 million, and will be eligible to receive future milestones of up to US$47 million, in addition to royalties on sales generated in Latin America.
The agreement reinforces the company’s commitment and capabilities in developing medicines for central nervous system disorders and providing treatment options for the epilepsy communities in this region and around the world. Cenobamate has been previously launched in the United States and Europe, and SK Biopharmaceuticals forged partnerships for cenobamate in Japan, China, Canada, and Israel. With this agreement, SK Biopharmaceuticals will now be present in four continents: North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
“We are extremely pleased to partner with Eurofarma, which has a proven track record in the region and a widespread network to drive development and commercialization of cenobamate in Latin America,” said Jeong Woo Cho, PhD, President and CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals. “This partnership reaffirms our commitment to provide innovative treatments to people with epilepsy. We will continue to broaden our footprint around the world to support the patient community with cenobamate.”
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases, affecting over 6 million people in Latin America.[1] According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Americas, over half of the people living with epilepsy in Latin America and the Caribbean do not receive appropriate treatment.[2] Collaborating with Eurofarma, a Brazilian pharmaceutical company that covers 100% of Latin America and has, for 2022, a projected investment in innovation of more than BRL500 million, SK Biopharmaceuticals aims to bring its innovative product widely to the region.
About SK Biopharmaceuticals
SK Biopharmaceuticals and its U.S. subsidiary SK life science are global pharmaceutical companies focused on the research, development and commercialization of treatments for disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). The companies have a pipeline of eight compounds in development for the treatment of CNS disorders, including epilepsy. Additionally, SK Biopharmaceuticals is focused on early research in oncology. For more information, visit SK Biopharmaceuticals’ website at www.skbp.com/eng and SK life science’s website at www.SKLifeScienceInc.com.
About Eurofarma
The Eurofarma Group has been operating in the healthcare industry since its establishment in 1972, producing and marketing innovative products and services to improve people’s quality of life. Focused on generating shared value, it operates in the areas of Prescription, Non-Prescription, OTC and Generic Drugs, Hospital and Oncology. Offers more than 700 products, over 2,000 SKUs, and serves 42 medical specialties. Present in over 20 countries, with a manufacturing park in Brazil and plants in six other Latin American countries, it generated net sales of BRL 7.1 billion in 2021, growth of 23% over the previous year, and employs more than 8,100 people.
About Cenobamate
Cenobamate is an anti-seizure medication (ASM) discovered and developed by SK Biopharmaceuticals and SK life science. While the precise mechanism by which cenobamate exerts its therapeutic effect is unknown, it is believed to reduce repetitive neuronal firing by inhibiting voltage-gated sodium currents. It is also a positive allosteric modulator of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) ion channel.
Cenobamate is approved in the United States for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults and is available under the brand name XCOPRI® (cenobamate tablets) CV. Cenobamate can be combined with other ASMs or used alone. The recommended initial dosage of cenobamate is 12.5 mg once-daily, with titration every two weeks; it is available in six tablet strengths for once-daily dosing: 12.5 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg and 200 mg.
Cenobamate is also approved in the European Union and the United Kingdom for the adjunctive treatment of focal-onset (partial-onset) seizures with or without secondary generalization in adult patients with seizures that have not been adequately controlled despite a history of treatment with at least two anti-epileptic medicinal products and is marketed by Angelini Pharma under the brand name ONTOZRY®. Additionally, cenobamate is in clinical development in Asia. Ono Pharmaceutical and Ignis Therapeutics have the rights to develop and commercialize cenobamate in Japan and in the Greater China region, respectively.
Media Inquiries
SK Biopharmaceuticals
Hyongki Park, Director of Communications
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[1] Kevin Pacheco-Barrios, et al. Burden of epilepsy in Latin America and The Caribbean: a trend analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990 – 2019. The Lancet Regional Health – Americas. available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2021.100140
[2] Pan American Health Organization | Word Health Organization. Available at: https://bit.ly/3nF31qV [Last accessed July 2022]