Pfizer and Medivation Enter into Global Agreement to Co-Develop and Market Dimebon for the Treatment of Alzheimer's and Huntington's Diseases
Wednesday, September 03, 2008 7:09 AM
Symbols: MDVN, PFE

Medivation to Host Conference Call/Webcast Today at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time

Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) and Medivation, Inc.(NASDAQ: MDVN) announced today that they have entered into an agreement to develop and commercialize Dimebon, Medivation’s investigational drug for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease. Dimebon currently is being evaluated in an international, confirmatory Phase III trial in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease (www.connectionstudy.com).

Under the terms of the agreement, Medivation will receive an up-front cash payment of $225 million. Medivation also is eligible to receive payments of up to $500 million upon the attainment of development and regulatory milestones plus additional undisclosed commercial milestone payments. Medivation and Pfizer will collaborate on the Phase III program in Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease development and regulatory filings in the United States. The companies will share all U.S. development and commercialization expenses along with U.S. profits/losses on a 60 percent/40 percent basis, with Pfizer assuming the larger share of both expenses and profit/losses. In addition, Medivation will co-promote Dimebon to specialty physicians in the U.S.

Pfizer will have responsibility for development, regulatory and commercialization outside the U.S. and will pay Medivation tiered royalties on commercial sales outside of the U.S. The agreement is subject to approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. J.P. Morgan served as financial advisor, and Cooley Godward Kronish LLP served as legal advisor, to Medivation on this transaction.

Alzheimer’s disease leads to the death of brain cells and the loss of nerve connections in areas of the brain that govern memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s disease gradually destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry-out daily activities. No currently marketed Alzheimer’s disease drug appears to stop brain cell death and prevent or restore lost nerve connections.

Dimebon is an orally-available, small molecule that has been shown to inhibit brain cell death in preclinical models relevant to Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease, making it a potential treatment for these and other neurodegenerative conditions. Based on preclinical data generated to date, Dimebon appears to improve the function of mitochondria, the energy generators in cells that play a vital role in governing brain cell health, growth and overall function. Dimebon also has been shown to stimulate the outgrowth of nerves from brain cells, or neurites, a process that is believed to play an important role in restoring or generating new brain cell connections.

“With more than 18 million people worldwide suffering from the debilitating and ultimately fatal effects of Alzheimer’s disease, Pfizer has made this devastating illness one of our highest priorities,” said Dr. Martin Mackay, president, Pfizer Global Research and Development. “We are working to develop new medicines that improve memory and halt or significantly slow the disease’s progression.


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