PRESS
RELEASE
Debiopharm partners with Verity Pharmaceuticals for the exclusive U.S. commercialization of Trelstar® for prostate cancer – June 9, 2020
Lausanne, Switzerland and Wayne, Pennsylvania (June 9, 2020) – Debiopharm, a Swiss-based biopharmaceutical company, and Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc., a U.S.-based specialty pharmaceutical company focused on therapeutic solutions for genitourinary (GU) diseases, today announced having entered into an exclusive agreement that grants Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc. the rights to commercialize Trelstar® (triptorelin pamoate for injectable suspension), a hormone therapy for patients living with prostate cancer. The North American company will take on U.S. commercialization activities in this 20-year, extendable agreement for the brand used in the palliative treatment of prostate cancer.
Verity Pharmaceuticals is dedicating resources to ensuring that physicians and patients are aware of the proven, consistent efficacy of Trelstar® and how it may fit into their prostate cancer treatment plans. The availability of triptorelin for patients around the world is the result of Debiopharm’s expertise in oncology drug development and manufacturing. First registered in France in 1986, triptorelin is currently marketed in more than 80 countries and is a market leader in many territories worldwide.
“Trelstar® has been proven to help patients keep castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) at bay, which has significant implications on their quality of life,” said Dr. Neil Fleshner, CMO of Verity Pharmaceuticals. “As we all grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also beneficial that this medicine can be administered as infrequently as once every six months while still effectively – and consistently – keeping testosterone levels down.”
Additionally, Verity Pharmaceuticals’s pipeline has two promising bladder cancer drugs, one in Phase II, and another in preregistration and looks forward to continuing to provide innovative and effective pharmaceutical solutions to Americans living with genitourinary diseases. Debiopharm’s cancer therapy pipeline also continues to expand, including Phase I, II and III ready compounds for a variety of tumor types such as Head & Neck cancer and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
“Verity Pharmaceuticals’s strong focus in uro-oncology and seasoned management team make them an ideal alliance partner for the Trelstar® brand,” explained Bertrand Ducrey, CEO of Debiopharm. “Their scientific, sales and market access teams clearly add value and the expertise necessary to relaunch Trestar® in the U.S.”
“At Verity Pharmaceuticals we do not simply distribute medicines, but partner with physicians and their patients to support them on their treatment journeys,” said Howard Glase, CEO of Verity Pharmaceuticals. “Thousands of people across the country already know just how impactful Trelstar® is and we look forward to breathing new life into this important therapy.”
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths amongst American men, with nearly 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Trelstar®, an androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), is indicated for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer. It is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist that works by decreasing the amount of testosterone in the body and maintaining it below castration levels. For patients with prostate cancer, this course of treatment can help control or stop the growth of prostate cancer cells. It can also help delay the progression to CRPC.
About Prostate Cancer Treatment
In the fight against prostate cancer, it is critical to bring testosterone levels down – and keep them down – and Trelstar® has been shown to deliver lower, more consistent serum testosterone levels.
Maintaining consistently low levels of testosterone can extend the time CRPC by 10 years (median). This means patients are able to hold off on expensive, final stage treatments that have been associated with significant side effects and deterioration in quality of life. Trelstar® helps patients to bring down testosterone levels and effectively keep them down over time.
About Trelstar® (triptorelin)
Trelstar® (triptorelin) is an agonist analogue of the natural gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). It is the only GnRH agonist that differs from natural GnRH by a single amino acid. Trelstar® has been engineered to deliver superagonist activity and works by decreasing the amount of certain hormones in the body. This is referred to as androgen deprivation therapy or ADT. Debiopharm has developed three sustained-release formulations (1, 3 and 6 months) of triptorelin pamoate. In the U.S., triptorelin is registered for Prostate Cancer as Trelstar® and was first approved and launched in 2000 for the palliative treatment of hormone dependent advanced carcinoma of the prostate gland. Trelstar® has been in use as a trusted ADT in the United States for almost 20 years.
To learn more about Trelstar® please see the Trelstar® Prescribing Information or visit www.trelstar.com
About Debiopharm
Debiopharm develops innovative therapies that target high unmet medical needs in oncology and bacterial infections. Bridging the gap between discovery products and real-world patient reach, they in-license high-potential compounds, clinically demonstrate their safety and efficacy and then select pharmaceutical commercialization partners to maximize patient access.
Visit us www.debiopharm.com
Follow us @DebiopharmNews at http://twitter.com/DebiopharmNews
About Verity Pharmaceuticals
Verity Pharmaceuticals is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on therapeutic solutions for genitourinary (GU) diseases.
Every day the Verity Pharmaceuticals team goes to work with an unflinching conviction to deliver meaningful solutions to healthcare professionals and their patients.
Verity Pharmaceuticals works with best in class global pharmaceutical manufacturing partners to ensure that product quality and availability is a constant deliverable.
We are also committed to supporting programs, initiatives and organizations that help improve health, expand research opportunities, and promote education in the growing area of genitourinary diseases and disorders.
For more information visit www.veritypharma.com
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Wayne Caldwell
Director, U.S. Commercial Operations
Verity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
w.caldwell@veritypharma.com
T: 215-550-6077
Dawn Haughton – Communications
Communications, Debiopharm
dawn.haughton@debiopharm.com
Tel: +41 (0)21 321 01 11