Bock and Mimetics Collaborate On Molecular Iodine

Bock Pharmaceutical and Mimetics in the USA have signed a long-term agreement to market molecular iodine, a new product for the treatment of fibrocystic breast disease. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will collaborate on the development of an oral form of the drug. Mimetics will retain all manufacturing rights and Bock will receive exclusive marketing rights in the USA and Canada.

The compound was granted Investigational New Drug status by the Canadian Health Protection Branch in 1994, and a US IND is expected to be filed in the second half of this year.

A review of FBD in the New England Journal of Medicine estimated the incidence of the disease to be at least 50% in women of reproductive age; more than 50% of all breast biopsies are found to be FBD rather than cancer or other conditions. Effective treatment with molecular iodine would be expected to reduce the number of biopsies performed, it was noted.