ViroPharma Product Line and Development History

ViroPharma's product line has a rich history, with a focus on developing innovative treatments for rare and life-threatening diseases. The company's first product was Cinryze, an intravenous treatment for hereditary angioedema.

Cinryze was approved by the FDA in 2008 and has since become a staple in the treatment of this condition. Its unique mechanism of action makes it an effective option for patients who have not responded to other treatments.

ViroPharma's development pipeline has also included other notable products, such as ViroPharma's acquisition of Nuedexta, a treatment for pseudobulbar affect. The company's commitment to developing treatments for rare diseases has been a driving force behind its growth and success.

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Shire plans to spend $4.2 billion in cash to buy ViroPharma, a biopharmaceutical company.

The acquisition price is $50 per share, which represents a 27% premium over ViroPharma's closing price on the last trading day before the deal was announced.

Shire will pay this price to acquire ViroPharma's rare disease treatments, including Cinryze.

Cinryze generated $102 million in U.S. net sales during the third quarter, a 21% increase from the same period in 2012.

Shire expects to generate about $150 million in annual cost savings by 2015 through synergies with ViroPharma.

The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2014, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.

Shire secured a $2.6 billion fully underwritten short-term bank facility to fund the deal.

U.S.-traded shares of Shire climbed 3.7% to $139.32 after the acquisition was announced.

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ViroPharma was founded in 1994 by Robert Ingram and Michael Kelly, with a focus on developing treatments for rare and serious diseases. The company's early success led to its acquisition by Shire in 2013 for $4.2 billion.

ViroPharma's business model was built around developing and commercializing products that addressed significant unmet medical needs. One of its key products, Cinryze, was approved in 2010 for the treatment of hereditary angioedema.

As a result of Shire's acquisition, ViroPharma's intellectual property, including its portfolio of products and pipeline, became part of Shire's global operations.

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ViroPharma licensed Maribavir from GlaxoSmithKline in 2003 for the prevention and treatment of human cytomegalovirus disease in hematopoietic stem cell/bone marrow transplant patients.

The company received fast track status for Maribavir from the FDA in February 2006, a designation that expedites the development and review of new drugs for serious or life-threatening conditions.

In March 2006, a Phase II study with Maribavir demonstrated strong antiviral activity, showing a statistically significant reduction in the rate of reactivation of CMV in transplant patients.

The study found that Maribavir reduced the number of subjects who required pre-emptive anti-CMV therapy from 57% in the placebo group to 15-30% in the Maribavir groups.

ViroPharma conducted a Phase III clinical study to evaluate the prophylactic use of Maribavir for the prevention of cytomegalovirus disease in recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplants.

Unfortunately, the Phase III study failed to achieve its goal, showing no significant difference between Maribavir and a placebo in reducing the rate of CMV disease.

Vancocin Pulvules HCl was licensed from Eli Lilly in 2004, an antibiotic used to treat staphylococcal enterocolitis and antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis caused by Clostridioides difficile.

Oral Vancocin is a treatment option for patients with these conditions, providing a much-needed solution for those suffering from these serious illnesses.

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Failed products can be a significant setback for any company, especially in the pharmaceutical industry where the stakes are high. ViroPharma's first compound, pleconaril, was licensed from Sanofi in 1995 but ultimately failed to demonstrate efficacy in clinical trials for enteroviral meningitis.

Pleconaril was active against viruses in the picornavirus family, but the company's first indication for the common cold was rejected by the FDA in 2002. The FDA Antiviral Advisory Committee recommended that ViroPharma had failed to show adequate safety, leading to a not-approvable letter.

ViroPharma licensed pleconaril to Schering-Plough in 2004, who are still developing an intranasal formulation for the common cold and asthma exacerbations. Schering-Plough started a Phase II clinical trial in August 2006.

Here are some key facts about failed products in the pharmaceutical industry:

Patents are a type of intellectual property that protect inventions and innovations. They give the owner exclusive rights to make, use, and sell the invention for a certain period.

A patent application must include a detailed description of the invention, including drawings and diagrams. This helps the patent office understand the invention and determine whether it meets the requirements for a patent.

The patent office reviews the application to ensure it meets the necessary requirements, including novelty, non-obviousness, and utility. The process can take several years, with some applications taking up to 3 years to be reviewed.

Patent holders can license their invention to others, allowing them to use the invention in exchange for a fee. This can be a lucrative way to monetize an invention, especially if it's widely used.

The term of a patent varies depending on the type of patent, with utility patents lasting for 20 years from the filing date. Design patents, on the other hand, last for 15 years from the date of grant.

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