Biota transfers RSV accord to AstraZeneca

Australian drugmaker Biota says that its 2005 collaboration and license agreement with MedImmune has been assigned to the US firm's parent company, AstraZeneca.

The Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical major has also secured the rights to a number of Asian and Pacific territories not held by MedImmune under the original agreement and for which Biota will receive an additional $3.5 million payment, plus future royalties.

The accord relates to a series of antivirals aimed at the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus. The assignment of the agreement results in part from AstraZeneca's $15.6 billion purchase of MedImmune (Marketletter April 30, 2007).