Milan, 27 February 2017 - Recordati announced the signing of an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement covering the know-how developed by the Meyer Hospital in Florence (Italy) for the development of a treatment for pre-term babies affected by retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The treatment is currently being investigated in a phase II clinical trial by the Meyer Hospital, while Recordati will complete the clinical development and the regulatory steps necessary to obtain the marketing approval for the drug. Furthermore, within the deal, Recordati shall support other Meyer projects in the rare disease area over a period of three years based on a mutually agreed plan. This represents a collaboration between public and private institutions which recognizes the important results obtained by the internal research conducted by the pediatric hospital in Florence.
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding eye disorder that primarily affects premature infants weighing about 1.25 kg or less that are born before 31 weeks of gestation (a full-term pregnancy has a gestation of 38-42 weeks). The smaller a baby is at birth, the more likely that baby is to develop ROP. This disorder-which usually develops in both eyes-is a rare condition, however presenting as one of the most common causes of visual loss in childhood that can lead to lifelong vision impairment and blindness.
"We are very pleased to have entered into a long-term partnership with the renowned Meyer Hospital in Florence" declared Andrea Recordati, Vice-Chairman and CEO. "The ROP project represents an excellent opportunity for Recordati's orphan drug division to strengthen its presence in neonatology worldwide, offer a new and innovative treatment for a severe and debilitating disease and obtain access to potentially innovative early stage opportunities".
Recordati, established in 1926, is an international pharmaceutical group, listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (Reuters RECI.MI, Bloomberg REC IM, ISIN IT 0003828271), with a total staff of around 4,000, dedicated to the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals. Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Recordati has operations in the main European countries, in Russia, in other Central and Eastern European countries, in Turkey, in North Africa, in the United States of America and in some Latin American countries. An efficient field force of medical representatives promotes a wide range of innovative pharmaceuticals, both proprietary and under license, in a number of therapeutic areas including a specialized business dedicated to treatments for rare diseases. Recordati is a partner of choice for new product licenses for its territories. Recordati is committed to the research and development of new specialties within the urogenital therapeutic area and of treatments for rare diseases. Consolidated revenue for 2015 was € 1,047.7 million, operating income was € 278.5 million and net income was € 198.8 million.
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Recordati website: www.recordati.com
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Marianne Tatschke Studio Noris Morano
(39)0248787393 (39)0276004736, (39)0276004745
e-mail: inver@recordati.it e-mail: norismorano@studionorismorano.com
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