LEO Pharma acquires rights to moderate-to-severe psoriasis therapy

New sub-licensing agreement allows LEO Pharma to help more people around the world with an additional treatment option for psoriasis.

LEO Pharma, a global leader in medical dermatology, announced it has acquired the exclusive rights to develop and market brodalumab (marketed as Kyntheum in the EU) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis outside of Europe through a new sub-licencing agreement with Bausch Health Ireland Limited. The new agreement includes countries with significantly high unmet need, such as Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Mexico, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

This complements the ongoing licensing agreement between LEO Pharma and AstraZeneca to develop and market brodalumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis in Europe. To date, LEO Pharma has successfully launched brodalumab in 18 countries. Outside of the EU, Bausch Health Companies Inc. through a licensing agreement with AstraZeneca, has owned the global commercial rights for brodalumab except in Japan and other Asian countries, where the rights are owned by Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.

Under the new arrangement terms, Bausch Health has granted LEO Pharma an exclusive license to its global rights to brodalumab but continues to hold the rights for the US and Canada.

“This new agreement underlines our commitment to expand our successful dermatology portfolio into innovative therapies and new indications,” said Catherine Mazzacco, President and CEO of LEO Pharma. “The burden of living with psoriasis is often underestimated, and we want to help patients at all stages of their condition. With the brodalumab agreement, we are bringing a new option to many more people across the globe living with psoriasis.”

Brodalumab received marketing authorisation by the European Commission in July 2017 and is currently indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy.

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