LONDON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Dutch biotechnology firm Pharming <PHAR.AS> is actively talking to potential U.S. partners for its key drug Rhucin and expects a licensing deal to include an upfront payment, its commercial head said on Thursday.
The drug, which is purified from the milk of transgenic rabbits, is intended to treat acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) and would be the second medicine from a genetically engineered animal to get to market.
Chief Commercial Officer Rein Strijker said it could win a green light from experts at the European Medicines Agency in November or December, clearing the way for a first-half 2008 EU launch, with the United States following slightly later.
Pharming aims to file Rhucin with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by the end of this year, after completing a clinical trial there in the next 6 to 8 weeks.
Strijker said he was comfortable with analysts' forecasts that the product could sell between 500 million and 600 million euros ($683-820 million) as a treatment for HAE in the United States and Europe combined.
Pharming intends to market Rhucin itself in Europe but is looking for a marketing partner in the United States, the world's biggest drugs market.
"We are in discussions with potential partners ... it's less than 10," Stryker told Reuters during a visit to London, where the company is presenting clinical trial data on Rhucin.
Pharming had already announced that a pivotal study of Rhucin had produced positive results earlier this month but without giving full details.
New information disclosed on Thursday included the fact that HAE patients, on average, started to get relief from their symptoms just 1 hour after receiving Rhucin.
The genetic disorder is characterised by acute attacks of painful and potentially dangerous swelling of soft tissues, including the skin, the intestine and the mouth and throat. One in every 30,000 people suffers from the condition and Pharming estimates there are 100,000 treatable attacks in Europe alone every year.
Analysts predict the drug should move the company into profit and Pharming shares were 5.6 percent higher on the Amsterdam stock exchange at 2.83 euros by 0815 GMT. <<
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