Biogen and Biovitrum update hemophilia agreement; MorphoSys and Galapagos expand accord

US biotech firm Biogen Idec and Stockholm-based Biovitrum (now called Swedish Orphan Biovitrum since completion of the merger between the two Swedish groups in January) have restructured the collaboration agreement for the companies' long-acting, recombinant Factor VIII Fc fusion protein (rFVIIIFc) in hemophilia A patients and the recombinant Factor IX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) in hemophilia B patients.

Under the amended deal, Biogen will assume full development responsibilities and costs, as well as manufacturing rights for the rFVIIIFc and rFIXFc programs. It also gains marketing responsibility for the rest-of-world territories that had previously been shared between the two companies, in addition to its existing commercial rights in North America. Biovitrum will retain commercial rights in Europe, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East. The cross-royalty rate has been reduced for both companies and will be further adjusted until Biogen's increased costs are reimbursed.