Ferrer partners with Cipher Pharmaceuticals to bring Ozenoxacin to the Canadian market

Ozenoxacin, a novel bactericidal non-fluorinated quinolone, will complete a second phase III clinical trial in adult and paediatric patients with impetigo in the first quarter of 2015

Ferrer, a privately-held Spanish pharmaceutical company, today announces that it has licensed commercialisation rights for Ozenoxacin one per cent cream in Canada to Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Under the terms of the agreement Ferrer will receive an upfront payment and is eligible for development milestones and revenues from product sales in Canada. Financial terms were not disclosed. This is the second licensing agreement for Ferrer for Ozenoxacin. In March 2014, Ferrer licensed commercialisation rights for Ozenoxacin one per cent cream in the USA, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands to Medimetriks Pharmaceuticals Inc.

In 2013 Ferrer successfully completed a first phase III clinical trial of Ozenoxacin in adult and paediatric patients with impetigo. The study demonstrated the superiority of Ozenoxacin one per cent cream, applied topically twice daily for five days, versus a placebo, on both the clinical and bacteriological endpoints by end of therapy visit. In addition, Ozenoxacin demonstrated a superior bacteriological cure compared to placebo by the second visit (day three-four). The trial also demonstrated that Ozenoxacin is safe and very well tolerated in the adult and paediatric populations (Future Microbiol (2014) 9(9), 1013 - 1023).

“Ferrer is pleased to partner with Cipher to bring Ozenoxacin to the Canadian market,” said Antoni Villaró Martín, chief operations officer. “This is the second partnership aimed at maximising the commercial potential of this novel topical antibiotic.”

The product is available for licensing worldwide from Ferrer, except in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the USA and Canada.