Teva’s Laquinimod MS Pill Fails to Win EU Agency Backing

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA) failed to win backing from the European Union drug regulator for a new pill to treat multiple sclerosis, hurting the companys effort to introduce a successor to its best-selling injection Copaxone.

The drug, laquinimod, shouldnt be granted marketing authorization in the 28-nation EU, the European Medicines Agencys Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use said in a statement today. The agency was concerned that animal studies showed a higher occurrence of cancers and possible risk to unborn babies, the London-based agency said. The product would have competed against oral medicines from Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB), Novartis AG (NOVN) and Sanofi. (SAN)

Laquinimod showed disappointing results in clinical trials in 2011. After talks with the Food and Drug Administration, Teva decided not to seek U.S. approval without another trial, the Petach Tikva, Israel-based company said that year. Analysts have no sales estimates for the drug, which has the brand name Nerventra, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Active Biotech AB (ACTI) is Tevas partner on the drug.

Teva and Active Biotech are focusing on evaluating the CHMPs review and will continue to liaise closely with the EMA in working to make Nerventra available as a new treatment option, the companies said in a statement.

Teva and Active Biotech remain committed to Nerventras development as a treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple scleroris, they said. The companies also have studied the drug as a treatment for Crohns disease and lupus.

A new study, dubbed Concerto, is focusing on slowing a patients descent into disability. Laquinimod failed to beat competing products on the industry standard of reducing the rates at which people experience relapses of the disease. Teva expects the drug to enter the U.S. market in late 2017 or early 2018, the company said in September.

We remain very confident on the data and the neuro-protective qualities of this drug, Michael Hayden, Tevas chief scientific officer, said on a conference call with analysts Dec. 10.

Tevas American depositary receipts fell 0.7 percent to close at $44.01 yesterday in New York. The Tel Aviv-listed shares arent trading today because the Israeli stock market is closed on Fridays. Active Biotech fell 41 percent to 45 kronor at 1:10 p.m. in Stockholm before trading was halted.

The European Commission, the EUs executive arm, usually follows the EMA committees recommendations.

Copaxone had sales of almost $4 billion in 2012, making it Tevas biggest-selling product. A U.S. patent protecting the drug until 2015 was invalidated in July by a U.S. Court of Appeals, opening the way for cheaper generic competitors as soon as May. The U.S. Supreme Court refused last month to block the lower courts ruling.

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Teva’s Laquinimod MS Pill Fails to Win EU Agency Backing