GSK and Valeant Pharmaceuticals enter into collaboration agreement

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International have announced their worldwide collaboration agreement for the investigational drug Retigabine, a neuronal potassium channel opener for treatment of adult epilepsy patients with refractory partial onset seizures. 

Valeant and GSK plan to file a new drug application in the US and a marketing authorisation application in Europe by early 2009. The two companies will jointly fund all global research and development expenses for Retigabine, and GSK will completely fund the development of VRX698 and the other back-up compounds from the potassium channel opener discovery programme.

Steve Stefano, senior vice president, US NeuroHealth Division, GSK, said, ''GSK is looking forward to work with Valeant to provide important medicines like Retigabine to the medical community and to the patients we serve.''

J Michael Pearson, chairman and chief executive officer, Valeant, said, ''We were pleased with the significant interest shown in Retigabine, and have selected GSK because we believe they are ideally suited to the continued development of this important compound.''