Ocular Therapeutix™ and AffaMed Therapeutics Announce License Agreement and Collaboration for DEXTENZA® and OTX-TIC in Asia
We are very excited to enter into this collaboration with AffaMed Therapeutics, which allows us to expand the potential and geographic reach of DEXTENZA and OTX-TIC, said Antony Mattessich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ocular Therapeutix.
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. (NASDAQ:OCUL), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the formulation, development, and commercialization of innovative therapies for diseases and conditions of the eye, today announced a license agreement and a collaboration with AffaMed Therapeutics for the development and commercialization of DEXTENZA® and OTX-TIC in Greater China, South Korea, and the ASEAN markets. DEXTENZA is currently approved in the U.S. for the treatment of post-surgical ocular inflammation and pain and is being developed as a potential treatment for allergic conjunctivitis. OTX-TIC is in development for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
“We are very excited to enter into this collaboration with AffaMed Therapeutics, which allows us to expand the potential and geographic reach of DEXTENZA and OTX-TIC,” said Antony Mattessich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ocular Therapeutix. “AffaMed shares our vision of developing and commercializing innovative ophthalmology products, and we look forward to leveraging their strength and reputation in Asia to bring our innovative therapies to these global markets.”
“Ocular Therapeutix is a leading ophthalmology company, and we are excited to enter into this partnership for the development and commercialization of both DEXTENZA and OTX-TIC,” said Dr. Dayao Zhao, Chief Executive Officer of AffaMed Therapeutics. “AffaMed’s strategy is to in-license best-in-class, highly differentiated ophthalmology products where there remains significant unmet needs.”
According to the global consulting firm IQVIA, the market for prescription ophthalmology products in China is sizeable, with $5 billion in annual sales and growth exceeding 16% per year.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ocular Therapeutix is entitled to receive an upfront payment of $12 million and is eligible to receive development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments and clinical development support payments of up to $91 million in the aggregate, as well as royalties from future product sales. Royalties are tiered and will range from the low teens to low twenty percent range. In return, Ocular Therapeutix has agreed to grant AffaMed exclusive rights to develop and commercialize DEXTENZA for the treatment of post-surgical inflammation and pain following ophthalmic surgery and ocular itching in patients with allergic conjunctivitis, and OTX-TIC for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension in Greater China, which includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan; South Korea; and the ASEAN Countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam). Ocular Therapeutix retains the right to develop and commercialize DEXTENZA and OTX-TIC in all other global markets.
About Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the formulation, development, and commercialization of innovative therapies for diseases and conditions of the eye using its proprietary bioresorbable hydrogel-based formulation technology. Ocular Therapeutix’s first commercial drug product, DEXTENZA®, is FDA-approved for the treatment of ocular inflammation and pain following ophthalmic surgery. Ocular Therapeutix recently completed a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating DEXTENZA for the treatment of ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis. Ocular Therapeutix’s earlier stage development assets currently in Phase 1 clinical trials include OTX-TIC (travoprost intracameral implant) for the reduction of intraocular pressure in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, and OTX-TKI (axitinib intravitreal implant) for the treatment of retinal diseases. Ocular Therapeutix is currently evaluating OTX-CSI (cyclosporine intracanalicular insert) for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease in a Phase 2 clinical trial. Also, Ocular Therapeutix is currently developing OTX-DED (dexamethasone intracanalicular insert) for the treatment of episodic dry eye and, in collaboration with Regeneron, OTX-AFS (aflibercept suprachoroidal injection) for an extended-delivery formulation of aflibercept for the treatment of retinal diseases. Ocular Therapeutix's first product, ReSure® Sealant, is FDA-approved to seal corneal incisions following cataract surgery.
About AffaMed Therapeutics
AffaMed Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing transformative pharmaceutical products that address critical unmet medical needs in ophthalmology, and neurological and psychiatric disorders for patients in Greater China and around the world. The management team of AffaMed Therapeutics has deep industry expertise and an extensive track record of high-quality clinical development, regulatory affairs, CMC, business development and operations both in China and with leading global pharmaceutical companies. AffaMed Therapeutics was founded and funded by the CBC Group (formerly C-Bridge Capital), in 2019.
Forward Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects for the Company, including the commercialization of DEXTENZA®, ReSure® Sealant, or any of the Company’s product candidates; the commercial launch of, and effectiveness of reimbursement codes for, DEXTENZA; the conduct of post-approval studies of DEXTENZA; the development and regulatory status of the Company’s product candidates, such as the Company’s development of and prospects for approvability of DEXTENZA for additional indications including allergic conjunctivitis, OTX-DED for the treatment of episodic dry eye disease, OTX-CSI for the treatment of dry eye disease, OTX-TIC for the treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension, OTX-TKI for the treatment of retinal diseases including wet AMD, and OTX-AFS as an extended-delivery formulation of the VEGF trap aflibercept for the treatment of retinal diseases including wet AMD; the ongoing development of the Company’s extended-delivery hydrogel depot technology; the size of potential markets for our product candidates; the potential utility of any of the Company’s product candidates; the potential benefits and future operation of the collaboration with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, including any potential future payments thereunder; projected net product revenue and other financial metrics of DEXTENZA; the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company and its operations; the sufficiency of the Company’s cash resources and other statements containing the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend", "goal," "may", "might," "plan," "predict," "project," "target," "potential," "will," "would," "could," "should," "continue," and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s clinical development programs, future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the timing and costs involved in commercializing DEXTENZA, ReSure Sealant or any product candidate that receives regulatory approval, including the conduct of post-approval studies, the ability to retain regulatory approval of DEXTENZA, ReSure Sealant or any product candidate that receives regulatory approval, the ability to maintain reimbursement codes for DEXTENZA, the initiation, timing and conduct of clinical trials, availability of data from clinical trials and expectations for regulatory submissions and approvals, the Company’s scientific approach and general development progress, the availability or commercial potential of the Company’s product candidates, the Company’s ability to generate its projected net product revenue on the timeline expected, if at all, the sufficiency of cash resources, the Company’s existing indebtedness, the ability of the Company’s creditors to accelerate the maturity of such indebtedness upon the occurrence of certain events of default, the outcome of the Company’s ongoing legal proceedings, the severity and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic including its effect on the Company’s and relevant regulatory authorities’ operations, the need for additional financing or other actions and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section contained in the Company’s quarterly and annual reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company’s views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
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