Basilea Pharmaceutica of Switzerland has entered into an exclusive worldwide agreement with Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Cilag International for the new antibiotic ceftobiprole.
Cilag will pay a “substantial” upfront payment in the deal worth up to $310 million in scheduled payments.
Ceftobiprole is currently in phase III clinical trials in complicated skin and skin structure infections and hospital-acquired pneumonia trials are in preparation. Both indications have been granted fast track designation by the FDA.
Ortho-McNeil, another Johnson & Johnson company, will market ceftobiprole in the U.S. and its affiliate companies, known as Janssen-Cilag, will market the product outside the U.S.