AstraZeneca and Abbott Laboratories to develop combination cholesterol drug

Anglo-Swedish drug major AstraZeneca and US health care major Abbott Laboratories say they will collaborate on the development of a combination cholesterol treatment which targets low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides. The proposed product will combine AstraZeneca's Crestor (rosuvastatin), to lower LDL cholesterol levels, with Abbott's TriCor (fenofibrate), which is indicated for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, or a next generation version of TriCor called ABT-335.

Abbott said that, although it has also tested ABT-335 in combination with Pfizer's Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Merck & Co's Zocor (simvastatin), it is only pursuing a development deal with AstraZeneca's drug.

Under the terms of the accord, the companies will initiate two R&D programs, combining Crestor with ABT-335, which is currently in late-stage clinical trials, and TriCor, respectively. The firms added that they would broadly share development costs and subsequent profits, with Abbott taking responsibility for the design of the clinical trial program, as well as carrying out regulatory filing, expected in 2009. The companies also said that the agreement is still subject to Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust clearance.