Servier To License Out Perindopril In USA

Servier has confirmed to the Marketletter that commercialization of one of its cardiovascular products, the ACE inhibitor perindopril, will soon be handed over to a marketing partner in the USA. However, a spokesman for the company said "at this stage in our negotiations we are not able to divulge the name of the partner." The spokesman also updated the Marketletter on some key new products in the pipeline which were highlighted by Servier president Jacques Servier in his presentation on the company's year-end results (Marketletter December 12).

Stacofylline (S9977) has completed a Phase I study and has started a program of Phase II trials in Europe in order to evaluate its effectiveness in Alzheimer's disease. The drug is a xanthine derivative which enhances cholinergic transmission and cerebral glucose utilization. The agent also has free radical-scavenging and neuroprotective effects in models of ischemia. Another compound in this program, S12024, has also completed Phase II trials in Europe involving 500 patients with AD who received the drug for between one and six months. The compound has noradrenergic and vasopressinergic-enhancing properties.

Muphoran, a third-generation nitrosourea which is already available to treat two types of cancer of very poor prognosis, disseminated malignant melanoma with brain metastases and malignant glioma, is also in Phase III studies in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and brain metastases and Phase II in uncomplicated lung cancer.