On September 20, 2017 Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:EGRX) ("Eagle" or "the Company") and SymBio Pharmaceuticals Limited ("SymBio") (Tokyo Stock Exchange/JASDAQ 4582) reported that the Company has licensed to SymBio rights under Eagle’s intellectual property to develop, market and sell Eagle’s bendamustine hydrochloride ("bendamustine HCl") ready-to-dilute ("RTD") and rapid infusion ("RI") injection products in Japan (Press release, Eagle Pharmaceuticals, SEP 20, 2017, View Source [SID1234540126]).
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SymBio will be responsible for securing regulatory approval of the RTD and RI injection products using the licensed technology in Japan with a target for approval of a product in 2020. SymBio currently markets TREAKISYM in Japan, a lyophilized powder formulation of bendamustine HCl indicated for chronic lymphocytic leukemia ("CLL"); relapsed or refractory low-grade Hodgkin’s lymphoma ("NHL"); mantle cell lymphoma ("MCL"); and as a first line treatment of low-grade NHL and MCL. According to SymBio, 12-month sales ended June 30, 2017 in Japan for TREAKISYM were $52 million, due to the approval of first line treatment for NHL and MCL in December 2016. SymBio has estimated that sales of TREAKISYM are estimated to grow to $90 million in 2018.
A 50 ml RI or rapid infusion presentation of bendamustine hydrochloride injection is currently marketed in the U.S. by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. ("Teva") as BENDEKA (bendamustine HCl) Injection. BENDEKA currently has a 97% market share of the bendamustine market, and Teva has forecasted the North American market for bendamustine to be approximately $600 – $660 million in sales in 2017. BENDEKA’s low volume infusion and short infusion time represents an important benefit to both patients and healthcare providers.
Pursuant to the terms of the license with SymBio, Eagle will receive a $12.5 million upfront milestone payment, and may be entitled to additional milestone payments upon approval and the achievement of cumulative sales thresholds. The Company will also receive royalties on future net sales of the licensed bendamustine products.
"This is an important example of the value of the Eagle portfolio to patients worldwide and a first step in expanding outside the U.S. for our differentiated products. We look forward to SymBio’s future approval and successful commercialization of bendamustine HCI in Japan," stated Scott Tarriff, Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Pharmaceuticals.
Mr. Fuminori Yoshida, President and Chief Executive Officer of SymBio, stated, "In-licensing Eagle’s ready-to-dilute and rapid infusion injection products will enable SymBio to extend the product life and continue to maximize the value of TREAKISYM over the product life while bringing significant benefits to patients and healthcare providers in Japan."