Abbott, Neurocrine Biosciences to commercialize elagolix

ABBOTT PARK, Ill. Two drug makers will work together to develop a drug for the treatment of endometriosis, a condition estimated to affect 100 million women around the world.

Abbott and Neurocrine Biosciences said they would develop and commercialize the drug elagolix, which recently finished a mid-stage study as a treatment for endometriosis and also is under development as a treatment for uterine fibroids. Endometriosis causes chronic pelvic pain throughout the menstrual cycle and dysmenorrhea, pain associated with mestruation. Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that form on the wall of the uterus.

“Extensive preclinical and clinical experience with elagolix suggests this drug could be an important advance for women with endometriosis and uterine fibroids, highly prevalent conditions where there is a need for new treatments,” Abbott SVP pharmaceutical research and development John Leonard stated. “This agreement enhances Abbott’s late-stage pipeline, with the potential for additional compounds in earlier-stage development.”

Abbott will pay $75 million upfront to Neurocrine while funding ongoing development activities. Neurocrine also will be eligible to receive milestone payments of around $500 million and potential royalties.