Novartis unit Sandoz to acquire Mycamine from Astellas

Novartis (NVS) unit Sandoz "has signed an agreement to acquire worldwide product rights for leading systemic antifungal agent Mycamine – micafungin sodium, Funguard – in Japan from Astellas (ALPMY). Closing is anticipated in the course of the first half of 2023. Mycamine is a leading global echinocandin, one of three major classes of antifungal agents, with a global patient base of well over two million. It is a therapy of choice in hospitals and intensive care units worldwide, a proven prophylactic in hematology and oncology patients, and widely used in organ transplants. Mycamine is indicated for treatment of invasive candidiasis and espophageal candidiasis, which are currently both on the rise with a higher occurrence of associated hospital outbreaks, as well as prevention of candida and aspergillus infections in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Astellas reported Mycamine sales of JPY 18.9 billion ($135M) for the year ending March 31, 2022."