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Note E - Novartis Agreement
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Novartis Agreement [Text Block]
NOTE E – NOVARTIS AGREEMENT

In April 2004, we signed a worldwide licensing agreement with Novartis for a value before royalties of up to $18,700,000 to allow Novartis to manufacture calcitonin using our patented peptide production process. We have received an aggregate of $13,700,000 from Novartis under this agreement and there are up to $5,000,000 in potential milestone payments remaining. We will receive royalties, at rates in the single digits, on net sales of any existing or future Novartis products that contain recombinant salmon calcitonin which in the future are approved for sale by health authorities, and are manufactured by Novartis using our technology.  For both the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, we recognized $446,000 in licensing revenue.  During 2004, Novartis purchased calcitonin from us for use in their oral calcitonin development program and implemented our patented manufacturing process at Novartis facilities. Sandoz, a Novartis affiliate, concluded a manufacturing campaign in 2005 based on our process and produced multiple kilograms of calcitonin at a scale that represents a ten-fold increase above our current production capacity. Calcitonin produced by Sandoz is being used by Novartis in ongoing Phase III clinical trials. In July 2010, an independent Data Monitoring Committee (“DMC”) reviewed and conducted a “futility” analysis of one-year data for all patients enrolled in one of Novartis’s osteoarthritis studies, including both an assessment of safety and efficacy parameters.  The DMC concluded there was no reason to stop the study because of safety findings.  In addition, the DMC concluded there was no reason to continue the study because of efficacy findings, but also determined that the final decision whether to continue this study rests with the study sponsors.  In October 2010, Novartis and its partner Nordic Bioscience announced that this study of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee is currently ongoing.  In addition, in October 2010, Novartis released information on a different study on oral calcitonin for the treatment of osteoarthritis.  The top-level results indicated that the study did not meet the first of three co-primary endpoints and results from the other two co-primary endpoints indicated clinical efficacy related to certain symptom modification.  Novartis and its partner Nordic Bioscience announced their plan to continue to analyze and evaluate the results of this study and to determine appropriate next steps.  Novartis and Nordic Bioscience also confirmed that a concurrent third study of oral calcitonin for the treatment of osteoporosis is proceeding as planned.

We will receive royalties on net sales of any existing or future Novartis products that contain calcitonin manufactured by Novartis using our technology.  Since Novartis will be conducting all future product development and clinical trials for its own oral calcitonin product in conjunction with its partner, a competitor of ours, the anticipated completion date is outside our control. If Tarsa and Novartis each successfully develop oral calcitonin products, they would be competing in this area.  This agreement may be terminated by either party due to a material breach not cured within 60 days or due to insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings not dismissed within 60 days and for other customary events of default.  The Novartis license agreement shall continue in full force and effect until the earlier of (a) the date Novartis and its affiliates cease to manufacture calcitonin for use in Novartis drug products and in Unigene drug products and (b) the date Novartis and/or its affiliates decide not to manufacture calcitonin.