Cephalon/Takeda to promote Provigil in US

USA-based biopharmaceutical firm Cephalon and Takeda Pharmacueticals North America, the wholly-owned US subsidiary of Japan's Takeda, say they have signed a deal under which both parties will promote the former's insomnia drug Provigil (modafinil) in the USA.

The deal, which is designed to run for a period of three years with an annual option to renew, also allows Cephalon to utilize Takeda's sales force to market another of its anti-insomnia agents Nuvigil (armodafinil), if it is granted marketing approval by the Food and Drug Administration, having received an approvable letter from the agency earlier this year.

Under the terms of the agreement, Cephalon will pay Takeda a royalty based on sales, in addition to retaining the responsibility for development, manufacture and distribution of the two drugs. The firms added that they would form a joint committee to manage the project.