Teva acquires migraine patch maker NuPathe

Teva has agreed to acquire pharmaceutical company NuPathe for $144 million.

The deal was made after NuPathe ended its merger agreement with Endo Health Solutions.

NuPathe develops drugs to treat neurological conditions. Its Zecuity product is a treatment for migraine that delivers medication through a patch worn on the skin.

Under the terms of the agreement, if Zecuity sales reach specified targets, NuPathe will receive additional payments from Teva.

Teva also announced that it will expand its portfolio of drugs that treat conditions affecting the central nervous system (CNS). It will have access to NuPathe’s proprietary technology including its transdermal delivery system.

Mike Derkacz, vice president and general manager of Teva’s CNS unit, said: “We believe that Zecuity is a great fit within our existing US CNS business unit, with near-term sales and significant commercial potential.”

He said that Zecuity’s delivery of active ingredient sumatriptan through the skin addresses the needs of patients who have migraine-related nausea by avoiding issues associated with taking drugs orally.

“At Teva, we will leverage our unique shared solutions infrastructure to support patient utilisation of this important new medicine for migraine sufferers,” he added.

NuPathe’s chief executive Armando Anido said that Teva is well-positioned to maximise Zecuity’s potential.

The transaction is expected to be completed in February 2014.