Novartis and Nektar Therapeutics Pulmonary Business

Novartis' Press Release :
Novartis to acquire Nektar Therapeutics pulmonary business unit, strengthening respiratory drug delivery capabilities
October 21, 2008 - Novartis has strengthened its capabilities for developing medicines that can be delivered via the lungs through a definitive agreement to acquire the pulmonary drug delivery business unit of Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NKTR) for USD 115 million in cash.

Important capabilities gained from Nektar, which has approximately 140 associates who will join Novartis and remain in San Carlos, California, include product formulation and delivery expertise along with a broad device platform. This transaction excludes Nektar's inhalation programs for insulin, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin and amikacin.

Novartis will utilize these skills to build on existing capabilities and accelerate its pipeline targeting life-threatening diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and cystic fibrosis as well as the life-cycle management of late-stage development projects that are closer to regulatory submissions. Potential applications will also be assessed in other areas of the Novartis healthcare portfolio... Novartis' Press Release -


Nektar's Press Release :
Nektar Sells Pulmonary Business to Novartis For $115 Million and Nektar Retains Key Pulmonary Programs Including Amikacin Inhale, Inhaled Vancomycin, and Ciprofloxacin Inhalation Powder
Oct 21, 2008 - Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) announced that Novartis AG has agreed to acquire from Nektar specific pulmonary delivery assets, technology, and intellectual property for $115 million in cash.

"This agreement will allow us to focus our efforts on the development of novel therapeutics using our PEGylation and conjugate chemistry-based drug development platforms," said Nektar President and CEO Howard W. Robin. "The transaction also strengthens our balance sheet and significantly reduces expenses. It is a perfect example of our ability to monetize assets that had little future value for Nektar."

Novartis will assume ownership of certain dry powder and liquid pulmonary formulation and manufacturing assets, including capital equipment and manufacturing facility capital lease obligations. The agreement also transfers to Novartis approximately
140 Nektar personnel, as well as certain intellectual property and manufacturing methods. Additionally, Nektar will transfer manufacturing and royalty rights to the Tobramycin inhalation powder (TIP) program, already partnered with Novartis... Nektar's Press Release -

Bayer HealthCare and Nektar Therapeutics : Amikacin Inhale Shows Promising Results in Phase II Study

May 19, 2008 , 2008 - Bayer HealthCare together with Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR), today presented positive preliminary Phase II data on their unique drug-device combination Amikacin Inhale at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) annual meeting. Amikacin Inhale, currently being studied for the adjunctive treatment of Gram-negative pneumonia in intubated and mechanically-ventilated patients, achieved over 1000 times greater lung exposure to the antibiotic amikacin as compared to intravenous route of administration.
This shows that targeting antibiotic therapy to the site of infection might offer superior bacterial eradication and increased efficacy, which may result in a higher likelihood of the patient's survival. Currently, Gram-negative pneumonia carries a mortality risk as high as 50 percent in mechanically-ventilated patients(1)... Nektar Therapeutics' Press Release -

Nektar : Patent Covering Pulmonary Targeted Antibiotics

May 7, 2008 - Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Patent No. 7,368,102, which covers compositions and methods for creating and delivering Tobramycin Inhalation Powder (TIP) and other aminoglycoside antibiotics delivered via Nektar's proprietary Dry Powder Inhaled Technology. This patent extends through the year 2022.

TIP is being co-developed by Nektar and Novartis and is currently in Phase 3 development for the prevention and treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. Cystic fibrosis patients are susceptible to chronic infection by P. aeruginosa, which is responsible for high rates of illness and death in this patient population. Nektar's Dry Powder Inhaled Technology has the capability to administer high local lung concentrations of TIP that may provide significant benefits to patients suffering from this debilitating disease... Nektar Therapeutics' Press Release -

Nektar Therapeutics, NKTR-102 (PEG-Irinotecan) in Multiple Solid Tumors

Oct 10, 2007 - Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) announced that preclinical data for its proprietary product candidate NKTR-102 (PEG-irinotecan) will be presented at the upcoming AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Therapeutics in San Francisco, California on October 25, 2007. The presentations will highlight new results from preclinical trials of NKTR-102 in mouse models of colorectal, lung and breast cancers... Nektar's Press Release-