EWING, N.J., June 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Antares Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATRS) today announced that Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. has settled the patent litigation with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, AstraZeneca AB and Amylin Pharmaceuticals, LLC (AstraZeneca) relating to AstraZeneca’s US Patent Nos. 6,858,576, 6,872,700, 6,956,026, 7,297,761, 6,902,744, 7,521,423, and 7,741,269 and AstraZeneca’s BYETTA® (exenatide), and entered into a settlement and license agreement with AstraZeneca, pursuant to which AstraZeneca granted a license to Teva to manufacture and commercialize the generic version of BYETTA® described in Teva’s ANDA No. 205984 in the United States.
According to Teva, the settlement allows them to commercialize its generic version of BYETTA® (exenatide injection) in the U.S. beginning October 15, 2017 or earlier under certain circumstances. All other terms of the agreement are confidential.
“We are very pleased that Teva was able to settle the patent dispute on this important product and we look forward to supporting Teva in the approval and launch of generic BYETTA,” said Robert Apple, President and Chief Executive Officer of Antares Pharma. “We are now one step closer to potentially commercializing this important product for patients with type 2 diabetes.”
BYETTA® (exenatide injection) is an injectable product used to treat type 2 diabetes. Under an exclusive license agreement, Antares Pharma supplies the multi-dose pen that Teva will use to commercialize their generic version of BYETTA®, which is currently under review at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Antares believes that Teva may be the “first applicant” to file an ANDA for a generic equivalent of BYETTA® and, should Teva’s ANDA be approved, may be entitled to 180 days of generic market exclusivity.
About Antares Pharma
Antares Pharma focuses on self-administered parenteral pharmaceutical products. The Company’s product, OTREXUP™ (methotrexate) injection for subcutaneous use, is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adults with severe active rheumatoid arthritis, children with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis and adults with severe recalcitrant psoriasis. Antares Pharma is also developing QuickShot® Testosterone for testosterone replacement therapy, and has recently received a therapeutically equivalent approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for VIBEX® Sumatriptan USP for the acute treatment of migraine and cluster headache. The Company’s technology platforms include VIBEX® disposable auto injectors, disposable multi-use pen injectors and reusable needle-free injectors. Antares Pharma has a multi-product deal with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. that includes VIBEX® epinephrine, exenatide multi-dose pen, and teriparatide multi-dose pen. Our reusable needle-free injector for use with human growth hormone (hGH) is sold worldwide by Ferring B.V. The Company is also working with AMAG Pharmaceuticals on a subcutaneous method of administering Makena, a progesterone product indicated for use in lowering the risk of pre-term birth. For more information, visit www.antarespharma.com.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those described. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: FDA action with respect to Teva’s ANDA filed for the Exenatide pen and future revenue from the same; the timing and results of the phase 3 studies for QuickShot® Testosterone (QS T) and acceptance of the data by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”); the timing and Company’s ability to successfully complete a New Drug Application (“NDA”) for QS T, acceptance of the NDA for QS T by the FDA and approval of the same by the FDA; Teva’s ability to adequately and timely respond to the Complete Response Letter received from the FDA for the VIBEX® epinephrine pen Abbreviated New Drug Application (“ANDA”) and approval by the FDA of the same, the timing and therapeutic equivalence rating thereof, and any future purchase orders and revenue pre or post FDA approval; the timing of the launch of VIBEX® Sumatriptan Injection USP and the amount of revenue from the same; the outcome of the pending patent litigation between Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. (Teva) and Eli Lilly and Company regarding the Teriparatide multi-dose pen; the timing and approval, if any, by the FDA of Teva’s ANDA for the Teriparatide multi-dose pen and any future revenue resulting therefrom; continued growth of prescriptions and sales of OTREXUP™; the timing and results of the development project with AMAG Pharmaceuticals for an auto injector for Makena; the timing and results of research projects, clinical trials, and product candidates in development; actions by the FDA or other regulatory agencies with the respect to the Company’s products or product candidates of its partners; continued growth in product, development, licensing and royalty revenue; the Company’s ability to obtain financial and other resources for its research, development, clinical, and commercial activities and other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, and involve predictions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, achievements or prospects to be materially different from any future results, performance, achievements or prospects expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as ”may”, ”will”, ”should”, ”would”, ”expect”, ”intend”, ”plan”, ”anticipate”, ”believe”, ”estimate”, ”predict”, ”potential”, ”seem”, ”seek”, ”future”, ”continue”, or ”appear” or the negative of these terms or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements is contained in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, and in the Company’s other periodic reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company on the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release, except as required by law.
CONTACT: Contacts: Jack Howarth Vice President, Corporate Affairs 609-359-3016 [email protected]