Novartis and Servier enter licensing deal for agomelatine

Swiss drug major Novartis and French pharmaceutical firm Servier have signed a licensing agreement for agomelatine, a Phase III investigational drug for the treatment of major depressive disorder, a condition estimated to affect one in 10 adults in the USA alone. According to Novartis, the novel melatonergic antidepressant has a unique receptor profile, which represents a "potential innovation for the treatment of the condition." Under the terms of the deal, which requires antitrust approval in the USA, Novartis has acquired the exclusive rights to further develop and market agomelatine in the USA and several other countries, while Servier retains the rights to the product in the rest of the world; financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.