Jubilant to market Technegas in US, signs pact with Cyclopharm

New Delhi: Drug firm Jubilant Life Sciences today said its subsidiary Jubilant DraxImage Inc has signed a term sheet with Australia’s Cyclopharm for exclusive licence to market Technegas in the US. Technegas is an imaging agent primarily used in Pulmonary Embolism (blockage of lung arteries). [caption id=“attachment_2432974” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Jubilant Life Sciences logo. Image courtesy JLS[/caption] In a BSE filing, Jubilant said its wholly-owned subsidiary Jubilant DraxImage Inc has signed “a term sheet, subject to satisfactory due diligence and execution of the Definitive Agreement and other necessary approvals, with Cyclopharm Ltd providing DraxImage an exclusive license to market and distribute Technegas in the United States”. It further said: “DraxImage will assist CYC with the development and financing of the phase III clinical trials for Technegas, and any other steps required to file for and obtain USFDA approval.” Commenting on the agreement, Jubilant Life Sciences chairman Shyam S Bhartia and co-chairman and managing director Hari S Bhartia said: “We are pleased to partner with CYC for the clinical development and potential US market introduction of Technegas. This partnership reiterates our commitment to add innovative products in our Radiopharmaceuticals portfolio and will leverage our existing strengths in the nuclear imaging business.” The company said DraxImage will provide at risk up to $4.5 million to fund the USFDA clinical trial currently under development with any additional costs to be funded by both parties equally. “Upon successful completion of the USFDA trial, DraxImage will be able to convert USFDA trial costs into CYC common stock up to a maximum of 15 per cent of the total CYC shareholding,” it said. “DraxImage will pay CYC a 17.5 percent royalty on sale in addition to an agreed margin above the cost of goods sold,” it added. At present, Technegas is being sold in 55 countries including EU, Japan and Canada by CYC. Shares of Jubilant Life were trading at Rs 320.80 apiece, up 2.49 percent, on the BSE. PTI