NicOx/AstraZeneca: Transparency vs. Partnering

AstraZeneca's news that nitric oxide donator AZD 3582 had failed to reach a primary end-point in a Phase II trial sent originator NicOx's shares plummeting, as investors lost faith in the biotech's entire platform. NicOx is disputing the data's accuracy in an attempt to salvage investor confidence--and to survive. The events highlight the tension between Big Pharma's duties to investor transparency and to protect its biotech partners. They're also a reminder to biotechs that there's more to deals than just royalties.

AstraZeneca PLC 's unexpected announcement on February 18 that AZD 3582 had failed to meet a primary end-point in one of its Phase II trials for osteo-arthritic pain sent shares in French biotech Nicox SA through the floorboards (see Exhibit 1). Most of the smaller group's market value hung on the compound—a nitric-oxide derivative of naproxen—that it had out-licensed five years earlier [See Deal]. Based on promising Phase I trials, analysts had been predicting $1-2 billion in sales for the compound, granted it passed muster.

But the drug was also a proof-of-principle case for NicOx: the biotech's entire pipeline is based around the concept embraced...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on In Vivo for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

More from Global Vision

Turning Defense Into Attack: Snapshots Of A Changing Medtech Market And How To Respond

 
• By 

Against a backdrop of shifting trade policies, the end of multilateral market approaches and renewed focus on supply chain resilience, medtechs are doubling down on innovation in products and processes, and keeping unmet needs and outcomes in the center of the target.

UK Bets On Regulatory Innovation As Competitive Advantage In Synthetic Biology

 
• By 

The UK government has prioritized synthetic biology and created a "concierge service" for biotechs just as the US cuts science funding.

Chinese Firms Build Obesity Clinical Pipeline But Face Wider Hurdles

 
• By 

Despite the ability to initiate clinical trials quickly and having strong manufacturing capacity, Chinese companies are facing multiple challenges in the obesity space.

Unpacking The Impact Of Trump’s Tariffs On Drug Pricing And Production

 
• By 

Big pharma plans to invest billions of dollars in US manufacturing to avoid tariffs proposed by the Trump Administration. However, the implementation of these plans may be delayed due to regulatory complexities and rising costs from tariffs, potentially impacting drug prices for consumers.

More from In Vivo

EU Medtech Outlook: The View From MedTech Europe Experts

 
• By 

MedTech Forum 2025 was less MDR-focused than in previous years, as macro issues and exogenous threats were forced further into the center of medtech business thinking.

‘Confident In Lorundrostat’s Promise’: Mineralys CEO Talks Trials And Next Steps

 

In a conversation with In Vivo, CEO Jon Congleton discusses Mineralys’s data-rich journey toward an NDA filing, the significance of recent trial wins and how its candidate may offer a dual benefit in blood pressure and renal protection.

BioBytes: Qubit Pharmaceuticals Unveils Quantum AI Model For Drug Discovery

 
• By 

Qubit Pharmaceuticals and Sorbonne University launched a quantum AI model that could slash drug synthesis requirements and enable exploration of previously undruggable targets.