Innoviva In Deal With Basilea Pharma To Buy U.S. Marketing Rights For Zevtera

(RTTNews) - Innoviva, Inc. (INVA) announced Monday that its unit Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics, Inc. or IST has entered into an exclusive distribution and license agreement with Switzerland's Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd for the commercialization of Zevtera (ceftobiprole), an advanced-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, in the U.S.

Under the deal terms, Innoviva will be granted exclusive marketing rights to Zevtera in the U.S. Basilea will receive a $4 million upfront payment in addition to tiered royalties and milestones on net sales in the U.S.

Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics anticipates commercializing Zevtera in mid-year 2025.

In April 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zevtera for three specific treatment indications, and it is the only FDA-approved methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cephalosporin antibiotic for treating adult patients with Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (bacteremia) (SAB) and endocarditis.

Zevtera is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with SAB.

Pavel Raifeld, Chief Executive Officer, Innoviva, said, "The licensing of Zevtera expands IST's diverse yet complementary portfolio of differentiated treatments that address substantial unmet medical needs.... The transaction reinforces the significant opportunity for growth we see in our therapeutics business, building on the momentum and success we have had with our existing marketed products."