ELAN AND ROCHE EXPAND NANOCRYSTAL ROYALTIES DEAL

Irish pharmaceuticals producer Elan has announced an expansion to its licence deal with Swiss drug major Roche. The agreement, the financial terms of which were not disclosed, awards Elan a number of potential milestone payments and royalties, while ensuring Roche's access to the technology.

The Irish company claims to have already launched three products on the US market that use NanoCrystal, which enhances water solubility and stability in drug compounds. US drug major Wyeth introduced a solid-dose formulation of its immunosuppressant Rapamune using the technology in 2000.