Abbott Labs Gains Marketing Rights to Cefditoren in Europe, Asia, Latin America

Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, IL) has secured rights to market cefditoren pivoxil (cefditoren), a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic. The agreement with Meiji Seika of Japan gives Abbott co-marketing rights in Europe and exclusive rights to manufacture and market cefditoren throughout Latin America. The companies have also signed a binding letter of intent that will allow Abbott to market cefditoren throughout the Pacific/Asia region, with the exception of Japan and Korea, following a definitive agreement. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Cefditoren, which has been marketed in Japan since 1994, is an advanced generation oral cephalosporin that has a broad spectrum of activity against gram positive and gram negative pathogens. Cefditoren is currently in Phase 3 clinical studies in the U.S. and Europe, where it is being developed as a first-line agent for respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia.

In the U.S., cefditoren is licensed by TAP Pharmaceuticals Inc., a joint venture between Abbott Laboratories and Takeda Chemical Industries Ltd. (Osaka, Japan).

Abbott Laboratories is a health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical, diagnostic, nutritional, and hospital products.

For more information: Josef Wendler, Sr. VP, International Operations, Abbott Laboratories, 100 Abbott Park Rd., Abbott Park, IL 60064-6400. Tel: 847-937-6100. Fax: 847-937-1511.