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Corporate information

 
 
 
Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX:BSLN). Its fully integrated research and development operations are currently focused on antibiotics and antifungals, as well as on the development of dermatology and oncology drugs, targeting the medical challenge of resistance and non-response to current treatment options in the hospital and specialty care setting.
 
Basilea is marketing Toctino® (alitretinoin), the only approved treatment for severe chronic hand eczema unresponsive to potent topical steroids, in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and has appointed distributors for Toctino® in other selected European markets, Canada, Israel, Mexico and the Republic of Korea. The company has entered into a global partnership with Astellas Pharma Inc. for Basilea's phase III compound isavuconazole, a potential best-in-class azole antifungal, for the treatment of life-threatening invasive fungal infections. In addition, Basilea is developing ceftobiprole, a late-stage novel anti-MRSA broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic, for the treatment of potentially life-threatening resistant bacterial infections.
 

Pipeline 

The company owns an innovative and diversified portfolio as well as substantial innovative early-stage programs.
  • Alitretinoin belongs to the well studied family of retinoids and is targeted at adult patients with severe chronic hand eczema who do not respond to topical corticosteroids. Toctino® (alitretinoin) is marketed in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Alitretinoin is approved in 17 additional European countries as well as Israel and has been recommended for approval in one further European country. Basilea has entered into distribution agreements for Toctino® for selected European markets, Canada, Israel, Mexico and the Republic of Korea. Furthermore, a phase III clinical trial on alitretinoin for the treatment of severe chronic hand eczema is ongoing in the U.S.
  • Ceftobiprole is a broad-spectrum anti-MRSA antibiotic belonging to the cephalosporin class for the treatment of potentially life-threatening resistant bacterial infections. Its broad spectrum activity, which encompasses Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including anti-pseudomonal activity similar to cefepime, suggests the potential for empirical monotherapy for complicated skin and skin structure infections as well as healthcare-associated pneumonia. The rights for ceftobiprole have been transferred back to Basilea from Cilag GmbH International, a Johnson & Johnson company, in February 2011.  
  • Isavuconazole, a novel broad-spectrum antifungal, is being developed for the treatment of severe invasive fungal infections and has the potential to become the best-in-class azole. The water-soluble compound can be administered intravenously or orally. The investigational drug has received fast track status from the FDA and is in clinical phase III development. Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd. has entered into a license, co-development and co-promotion agreement with Astellas Pharma Inc. for isavuconazole for the treatment of life-threatening invasive fungal infections.
  • BAL30072, a novel sulfactam antibiotic, has potent antimicrobial activity against a broad range of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp., Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter spp., that are increasingly associated with potentially life-threatening infections in hospitals around the world. The clinical phase I program is ongoing.
  • BAL101553 is the highly water-soluble prodrug of BAL27862, a novel synthetic small-molecule drug that has demonstrated anti-cancer activity across a broad panel of solid tumor models, including those resistant against agents such as taxanes or Vinca alkaloids. The clinical phase I program is ongoing.
  • Preclinical programs: Basilea pursues research programs in lead optimization as well as early stages of discovery.

History 

Basilea was founded in 2000 and went public on the Swiss Exchange in 2004.

 
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