Friday, 29/08/2008
Abbott Laboratories
In 1993, CAT and BASF Pharma (Knoll) now part of Abbott (http://www.abbott.com) entered into a broad research collaboration to identify and develop human monoclonal antibody therapeutics. The first two targets identified under this collaboration were TNFα and IL-12.
CAT, in collaboration with Abbott, isolated and optimised antibodies against these targets (which became HUMIRA® and ABT-874 respectively) with Abbott having responsibility for their development and marketing. CAT receives fees, milestone payments during the course of development and royalty payments on product sales.
HUMIRA has now been approved and marketed as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in 57 countries worldwide and for early rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, in several European countries and the US. In January 2007, Abbott reported worldwide sales of over US$2 billion in 2006 and expects worldwide sales of more than US$2.7 billion in 2007. HUMIRA is also being developed for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and chronic plaque psoriasis.
For more information regarding the litigation between CAT and Abbott please click on the link below: