Licensing agreement strengthens Orion's urological and oncological portfolio in the Nordic markets and Switzerland
Orion Corporation has received the rights to market Kentera® (oxybutynin) for overactive bladder (OAB) in a territory covering the Nordic countries and Switzerland from Recordati, a pharmaceutical company based in Italy. Kentera is indicated for the symptomatic treatment of urge incontinence and /or increased urinary frequency and urgency as may occur in patients with unstable bladder. Kentera is a transdermal patch formulation of oxybutynin applied twice weekly. It is hitherto the only non-orally administered product approved for OAB.
The originator of Kentera is the US-based Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and it is already widely available across the world. It was approved in the US in 2003 and in the EU in 2004. The European wide marketing rights were transferred to Recordati some months ago, having been previously held by UCB Pharma.
Orion will launch Kentera in all the Nordic countries already in the course of June, to be followed by Switzerland towards the end of the year. Recordati will receive royalties from Orion on the basis of sales revenues.
Kentera is an important new product in Orion's urological and oncological portfolio, into which Orion recently in-licensed also Vantas® (histrelin), an implant for prostate cancer from the US-based Indevus, with European wide rights. The portfolio already included Enanton® (leuproreline acetate), an injection also for prostate cancer, licensed from Takeda, Japan.
Overactive bladder is an inconvenience suffered by both men and women with increased frequency with age and complicating and restricting normal daily life in many ways. OAB is generally perceived as a condition of the elderly, but according to estimates, as many as over half of those affected are 35-64 years of age. The condition is more prevalent than asthma, diabetes or peptic ulcer, for example. Very often the starting of the treatment is postponed due to the fact that the patient is discomforted to bring up the trouble with his/her doctor or does not know that effective treatments are available. Urinary incontinence is mainly treated by specialists like gynaecologists, urologists, geriatricians and neurologists. Also most general practitioners are well informed about treatment approaches.
Kentera has a relaxant effect on the urinary bladder. Oxybutynin acts as a competitive antagonist of acetycholine at post-ganglionic parasympathetic muscarinic receptors, resulting in relaxation of bladder smooth muscle.
Contact persons at Orion:
Dr. Liisa Hurme, SVP, Proprietary Products, phone +358 50 966 2874
Pekka Kaivola, SVP, Global Sales, phone +358 50 966 3618
Publisher:
Orion Corporation
Orionintie 1A
02200 Espoo, Finland
Orion is a European pharmaceutical and diagnostics company which emphasises the development of innovative medicinal treatments and diagnostic tests for global markets. Orion develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceuticals for humans and animals, active pharmaceutical ingredients as well as diagnostic tests. Orion's clientele consists mainly of healthcare service providers and professionals. The Group's net sales in 2007 were EUR 683.6 million and in the end of 2007 there were about 3,170 employees working for the Group. Orion's stocks are listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange Helsinki.