Bayer HealthCare and Nektar Therapeutics Collaborate to Develop Inhaleable Ciprofloxacin Therapy for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections in Cystic Fibrosis Patients - Press Releases

Bayer HealthCare and Nektar Therapeutics Collaborate to Develop Inhaleable Ciprofloxacin Therapy for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections in Cystic Fibrosis Patients
January 25, 2005
Novel Form of Ciprofloxacin to Treat Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infections
Leverkusen, Germany and San Carlos, CA
Bayer HealthCare AG and Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) today announced a new collaboration to develop an inhaleable powder formulation of a novel form of Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) to treat chronic lung infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) in cystic fibrosis patients. The announcement was made at the Ninth Annual Drug Delivery Partnerships Conference in San Diego, Calif., sponsored by The Institute for International Research, January 24-26, 2005.
Under the terms of the collaboration, Nektar will be responsible for formulation of the dry powder and development of the inhalation system, as well as clinical and commercial manufacturing of the drug formulation and device combination. Bayer will be responsible for the clinical development and worldwide commercialization of the system. Nektar will receive funding for preclinical development, milestone payments, and royalty payments when the product is commercialized.
?This is an exciting new R&D partnership,? said Dr. Horst Fischer, Bayer HealthCare's Global Project Leader for Ciprofloxacin. ?Nektar?s pulmonary technology offers clear benefits to treating the lungs via inhalation with a novel form of Cipro. We aim to provide cystic fibrosis patients with a new and convenient therapy for the management of P. aeruginosa infections to improve the standard of care.?
?Our collaboration with Bayer is an outstanding opportunity for Nektar to apply our pulmonary technology to a leading antibiotic product for local treatment of the lung,? said Ajit Gill, Nektar President and Chief Executive Officer. ?We look forward to a continuing and successful partnership with Bayer.?
P. aeruginosa is the most common pathogen in patients with cystic fibrosis with the vast majority becoming chronically colonized with this organism, resulting in repeated cycles of lung inflammation and consequent deterioration in lung function. Cipro is a potent anti-pseudomonal quinolone antibiotic that is currently available in oral and intravenous (IV) formulations and has been successfully used in the management of acute exacerbation of P. aeruginosa infections in patients with cystic fibrosis.
About Bayer HealthCare AG
Bayer HealthCare AG, a subgroup of Bayer AG (NYSE: BAY) with sales of approximately EUR 8.9 billion in 2003, is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the health care and medical products industry. The company combines the global activities of the divisions Animal Health, Biological Products, Consumer Care, Diagnostics, Diabetes Care and Pharmaceuticals. 34,600 people are employed by Bayer HealthCare worldwide. Bayer?s aim is to discover, manufacture and market innovative products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Bayer products enhance well-being and quality of life by diagnosing, preventing and treating disease.
About Nektar Therapeutics
Nektar Therapeutics enables the development of differentiated pharmaceutical products using its advanced proprietary drug delivery technologies and services. Nektar?s technological, clinical and market analysis expertise allow it to identify, develop and offer to partners new product opportunities, solve their development challenges, and realize the full potential of their therapeutics from new molecular entities to life-cycle management. Additional information is available at http://www.nektar.com.