NicOx gets $6.5M under Merck & Co R&D accord

French drugmaker NicOx SA has achieved the first milestone as part of its deal with Merck & Co in the field of antihypertensives, triggering a 5.0 million-euro ($6.5 million) payment from the US drug major. The milestone was linked to the initiation of Good Laboratory Practice toxicology studies on the first development candidate recently selected by the two firms.

The two companies signed this R&D deal in March 2006, focused on the development and commercialization of new antihypertensives using NicOx' proprietary nitric oxide-donating technology for the treatment of high blood pressure, complications of hypertension and other cardiovascular and related disorders. The newly-initiated GLP studies are expected to provide data needed for the submission of an Investigational New Drug application to the US Food and Drug Administration. Merck is responsible for the funding and performance of the development of this compound going forward.

Under the terms of the deal, Merck has the exclusive right to develop and commercialize antihypertensive compounds for the treatment of systemic hypertension, leaving the French firm the option to co-promote products that result from the agreement on a fee-for-detail basis to specialist physicians in the USA and certain major European countries. In addition, Merck will pay NicOx industry-standard royalties on the sales of all products that result from the agreement. To date, NicOx has received 14.2 million euros from the Merck accord and stands to get 274.0 million euros in further potential milestones.