AstraZeneca buys rights to co-develop Forest's ceftaroline

UK drug major AstraZeneca and the USA's Forest Laboratories have entered into a definitive collaboration agreement to co-develop and commercialize ceftaroline in all markets outside the USA, Canada and Japan.

Explaining the deal, AstraZeneca says it will pay Forest an undisclosed signing fee, sales-related royalties and payments for reaching certain sales milestones. The UK firm will assume responsibility for the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of ceftaroline in the licensed territory. Both parties will collaborate on future development activities. Further financial terms were not disclosed.

Ceftaroline is Forest's late stage, next generation cephalosporin being investigated for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). The drug has demonstrated bactericidal activity against a broad range of pathogens commonly implicated in cSSSI and CABP, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multi-drug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (MDRSP).