Schering-Plough, COR Therapeutics, Genentech sign co-promotion agreement

Covers Integrilin for non-ST-segment acute coronary syndromes, and TNKase and Activase for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Earlier this week, COR Therapeutics Inc. (South San Francisco, CA), Schering-Plough Corp. (Madison, NJ), and Genentech Inc. (South San Francisco) announced a collaboration to co-promote three products—Integrilin for non-ST-segment acute coronary syndromes (ACS), and TNKase (Tenecteplase) and Activase (Alteplase, recombinant) for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction—in hospitals across the United States.

Under the terms of the agreement, Genentech will co-promote Integrilin in the more than 5,000 hospitals that its representatives currently call upon for TNKase and Activase. COR and Schering-Plough will co-promote TNKase and Activase in the more than 2,000 hospitals that they currently call upon for Integrilin.

The parties have also agreed to an exclusive clinical collaboration for any future large-scale clinical trials conducted that combine a fibrinolytic with a glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa inhibitor. The agreement will not affect any clinical trials already underway.

Integrilin
Integrilin is an intravenous glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa inhibitor used to help prevent the development of blood clots that can occlude the arteries in the heart, causing heart attack and death. Integrilin is indicated for the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome (unstable angina and non-Q-wave myocardial infarction) including patients who are to be managed medically and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Integrilin (eptifibatide) Injection is also indicated for the treatment of patients undergoing PCI at the time of the procedure.

COR Therapeutics and Schering-Plough are worldwide development partners for Integrilin. Both companies market and sell the drug in the United States. Schering-Plough markets Integrilin in Europe.

TNKase and Activase
TNKase is the first "clot-buster" that can be administered over five seconds in a single dose. A bio-engineered plasminogen activator, TNKase is a recombinant DNA-derived version of naturally-occurring tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). TNKase has unique features specifically designed to prolong its half life, enabling single bolus dosing. It also has been designed to increase specificity for fibrin, a key component of intracoronary clots and results in less disturbance of the body's coagulation, or natural clotting, system.

Activase is a bio-engineered version of the naturally occurring tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), which works to dissolve blood clots by triggering the body's own clot-dissolving mechanism. TNKase and Activase are trademarks of Genentech, Inc.

For more information, contact Catherine C. Villegas of COR Therapeutics at 650-244-6893, Denise K. Foy of Schering-Plough at 973-822-7464, or Marie Kennedy of Genentech at 650-225-8852.

With contributions from Jim Pomager
Assistant Editor, Pharmaceutical Online
Source: COR Therapeutics Inc.