The ever-changing ultrasound contrast market shifted again today. Contrast agent firm Nycomed Amersham Imaging announced initiatives to boost its presence in the ultrasound contrast market. In a related move, longtime player Mallinckrodt decided to withdraw from the business.
Nycomed's biggest news involves assuming full responsibility for marketing the ultrasound contrast agent Optison, originally developed by Molecular Biosystems and licensed to Mallinckrodt. Nycomed acquired co-marketing rights to Optison as a result of a patent litigation settlement with Mallinckrodt last year, but Mallinckrodt has now elected to terminate the relationship, effective December 31.
The decision allows Mallinckrodt to focus efforts on its core x-ray and nuclear medicine businesses, as well as its new OptiMark MRI agent, according to the St. Louis-based company. Mallinckrodt will continue to manufacture Optison at its manufacturing facility in Maryland Heights, MS, however.
Nycomed will move forward independently with the development and commercialization of Optison in all global regions except the Pacific Rim. Nycomed Amersham is also developing another ultrasound agent on its own, Sonazoid, which has not yet achieved Food and Drug Administration clearance.
Nycomed said it would begin promoting Optison in the U.S. with a dedicated ultrasound field sales force during the second half of this year. Future development in ultrasound contrast will focus on cardiac perfusion and cancer applications, according to Nycomed Amersham Imaging's CEO, Dr. John Padfield.
In other news, Nycomed has agreed to purchase the ultrasound contrast assets, including all patents related to ultrasound imaging, from Sonus Pharmaceuticals for $6.5 million. With the purchase, Nycomed will no longer have any royalty obligations to Sonus. Nycomed had received an exclusive license in August 1999 to certain Sonus patents in the U.S. and Europe.
Sonus has also assigned to Nycomed its interest in an ultrasound contrast patent license agreement with Chugai Pharmaceuticals and Molecular Biosystems (now an Alliance Pharmaceutical subsidiary). Under this license, Nycomed will be entitled to receive a royalty for sales of Optison in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea upon final regulatory approval.
In a related development, MBI and original marketing partner Mallinckrodt have amended their Optison product rights agreement, signed in May 2000. Under the original terms of the agreement, Mallinckrodt was to pay MBI a royalty of 5% of net sales of Optison in the U.S. and Europe for as long as Mallinckrodt was marketing the product.
As a result of the deal, MBI received quarterly royalties of approximately $200,000 from Mallinckrodt this year. Under the amended agreement, MBI will receive an immediate cash payment plus additional unspecified royalties for a two-year period, according to San Diego-based Alliance.
By Erik L. Ridley
AuntMinnie.com staff writer
August 6, 2001
Related Reading
Sonazoid boosts ultrasound prowess in liver and prostate, May 21, 2001
Sonus inks licensing deal with MBI, Chugai, January 16, 2001
Sonus shocks market by withdrawing EchoGen ultrasound contrast application, October 13, 2000
Nycomed and Mallinckrodt settle patent suits, May 8, 2000
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