Axsome In Exclusive U.S. License Deal With Pfizer For Reboxetine - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (AXSM) on Monday entered into an agreement with pharma giant Pfizer Inc. (PFE) for an exclusive U.S. license to Pfizer's clinical and nonclinical data, and intellectual property for reboxetine, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in AXS-12 which Axsome is developing for the treatment of narcolepsy.

The agreement also provides Axsome exclusive rights to develop and commercialize esreboxetine, a new late-stage product candidate now referred to as AXS-14, in the U.S. for the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Under the terms of the agreement, Axsome will receive from Pfizer an exclusive U.S. license to Pfizer data for reboxetine and esreboxetine encompassing a full range of nonclinical studies, and short-term and long-term clinical trials involving more than five thousand patients.

The licensed data includes results of a positive Phase 3 and a positive Phase 2 trial of esreboxetine in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Axsome will have the exclusive right and sole responsibility of developing AXS-14 (esreboxetine) in the U.S. for the treatment of fibromyalgia and for other indications.

Pfizer will receive shares of Axsome common stock having a value of $8 million, based on the average closing price of Axsome's common stock for the 10 prior trading days, in consideration for the license and rights.

Pfizer will also receive an upfront cash payment of $3 million, up to $323 million in regulatory and sales milestones, and tiered mid-single to low double-digit royalties on future sales. Pfizer will also have a right of first negotiation on any potential future strategic transactions involving AXS-12 and AXS-14.

Axsome recently completed and announced positive results for a Phase 2 trial of AXS-12 in the treatment of narcolepsy and is preparing to advance AXS-12 into Phase 3 trials for the treatment of narcolepsy in 2020.