Knight Therapeutics Licenses AstraZeneca's Movantik in Canada and Israel

Knight Therapeutics Inc. announced it has signed an exclusive license agreement with AstraZeneca for the rights to Movantik (naloxegol) in Canada and Israel. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Movantik, a once-daily oral peripherally-acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist (PAMORA), is approved in Canada for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in adult patients with non-cancer pain who have had an inadequate response to laxatives. The drug was launched by AstraZeneca in October 2015. In Israel, Movantik is currently under regulatory review and will be marketed as Moventig upon approval.

An estimated 26% of chronic opioid users suffer from OIC, according to Canadian Family Physician guidelines. Movantik sales in Canada reached $372,000 for the first ten months of 2016.

Under the terms of the agreement, Knight Therapeutics will manage all commercial, regulatory, and certain supply chain activities for Movantik in both territories. Jonathan Ross Goodman, CEO of Knight Therapeutics, stated that Movantik addresses a "clear unmet need" and will be a significant addition to the company's portfolio of products treating conditions associated with opioid use.