Eli Lilly purchases rights to osteoporosis patch

INDIANAPOLIS and LOD, Israel In a deal worth at least $35 million, Eli Lilly will get worldwide rights to TransPharma Medical’s ViaDerm-hPTH, which treats osteoporosis via a patch.

The agreement between Indianapolis-based Lilly and Israel-based TransPharma will become effective this month or next. In addition to the upfront payment, TransPharma may also receive development milestone payments and royalties if a transdermal PTH drug is commercialized. ViaDerm-hPTH is in Phase II clinical testing.

Lilly will also get non-exclusive access to the ViaDerm delivery system. Both companies will fund and participate in Phase II clinical testing of transdermal PTH drugs, but responsibility for further development and commercialization will fall on Lilly.

TransPharma’s ViaDerm technology uses battery-powered devices with microelectrode arrays to create microscopic passageways through the outer layer of the skin. The passageways then allow drugs from a patch to enter the body.