PharmaMar signs commercialisation and distribution agreement for Aplidin®

PharmaMar has announced a commercialisation and distribution license agreement with Megapharm Ltd. for the marine-derived anticancer drug Aplidin^® (plitidepsin) in Israel and the territory known as the Palestinian Authority.

According to the agreement, Megapharm will register Aplidin^® on behalf of PharmaMar and distribute the compound in both regions. PharmaMar will retain exclusive production rights and will supply the finished product for clinical and commercial use.

Aplidin^® is PharmaMar´s second most advanced anticancer drug which is currently under development for the treatment of multiple myeloma and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. The company announced in March 2016 that plitidepsin has shown positive results in a pivotal Phase III clinical trial (ADMYRE) for multiple myeloma.

According to Luis Mora, Managing Director of PharmaMar´s Oncology Business Unit, "We are about to address our first strategic alliance with Megapharm for the commercialisation of Aplidin^®for multiple myeloma in Israel and the territory known as the Palestinian Authority. Our commitment is to bring a novel and first-in-class therapy to patients in need."

Miron Drucker, Chief Executive Officer of Megapharm, stated that "The agreement between PharmaMar and Megapharm offers a major advance for healthcare in our territory as Aplidin^® provides a novel mechanism of action for treating multiple myeloma; we hope to bring access to the most innovative treatments to our patients in Israel and the territory known as the Palestinian Authority"