Antares Pharma, a company focused on the development and commercialization of self-administered parenteral pharmaceutical products using advanced drug delivery auto injection technology, has signed a development agreement with drugmaker Pfizer for a combination drug device rescue pen.
Image: Pfizer world headquarters in Manhattan, New York. Photo: courtesy of Coolcaesar.
The rescue pen will use Antares QuickShot auto injector and an undisclosed Pfizer drug.
As per terms of the deal, Pfizer will take responsibility for the development of the product, as well as to secure approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the combination product.
Both companies are planning to sign a separate supply agreement, under which Antares will offer fully packaged commercial ready finished product to Pfizer at cost plus margin, while Pfizer will take responsibility for commercializing the product in the US.
Antares is provided with option to secure royalties on net sales of the combination product.
Antares president and CEO Robert Apple said the development agreement further expands the company’s portfolio of pipeline partnered products.
“Additionally, it increases the potential number of products utilizing our innovative QuickShot auto injector technology platform. We look forward to working closely with Pfizer throughout the development phase of this combination product and assisting them with the FDA drug device approval process,”Apple said.
Antares Pharma is engaged in the development and commercialization of self-administered parenteral pharmaceutical products by using advanced drug delivery auto injection technology.
Antares Pharma has a pipeline of drug/device combination products including pen devices and auto injectors for self administration which are designed to enhance treatment options in several therapeutic categories, including testosterone replacement, rheumatoid arthritis, women’s health, migraine, type 2 diabetes, and anaphylaxis.
Antares also has partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies such as Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and AMAG Pharmaceuticals.
The firm has developed an investigational new drug for testosterone replacement therapy, Xyosted, which is currently under active review at the FDA.
Antares produces Otrexup single-dose auto-injector, which contains a prescription medicine called methotrexate. The firm also produces therapeutic products such as Sumatriptan autoinjector, Zoma-Jet and Gelnique.
In May this year, Antares Pharma received $4.75m from Ferring Pharmaceuticals in connection with the previously disclosed sale of its global rights, including several fixed assets, for the ZOMAJET needle-free auto injector device to Ferring.