Pharming Regains Rights To Ruconest, Seizing More Control Over Its Destiny

Pharming NV has the opportunity to achieve profitability in 2017, three years sooner than expected by reacquiring the rights to commercialize its hereditary angioedema (HAE) treatment in North America, the firm said. The Netherlands-based specialty pharma announced Aug. 9 that it reached an agreement with Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. to buy back rights to Ruconest (recombinant human C1 esterase inhibitor) in the US, Mexico and Canada for $60m upfront.

The deal will give Pharming control over the commercialization of Ruconest, which Valeant hadn’t been prioritizing given the recent upheaval...