and Human Services) for a planned large multicenter, placebo-controlled clinical trial in hospitalized adult patients with ARDS. A decision by BARDA for final selection is expected during calendar Q4 2023. This clinical trial sponsored by BARDA plans to evaluate the safety and efficacy of up to 3 novel threat-agnostic and host-directed therapeutics representing different mechanisms of action that could address ARDS caused by known and unknown health security threats such as pandemic influenza, COVID-19, other emerging infectious diseases, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents.
Sabizabulin, a Novel Oral Microtubule Disruptor, for the Treatment of Viruses that Pose Serious Worldwide Global Threats
On April 11, 2023, Veru announced positive results from a preclinical in vitro study conducted by a team of researchers led by Brian M. Ward, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York. The preclinical study evaluated the effects of sabizabulin against the prototypical poxvirus, vaccinia virus, which demonstrated that sabizabulin prevented both the release of poxvirus from infected cells and the spread of poxvirus to healthy cells. The Company plans to have preIND meetings with the FDA to discuss Animal Rule regulatory requirements for assessing the efficacy of sabizabulin for smallpox virus as well as Ebola virus. The smallpox virus pre-IND meeting has been granted and will take place in August 2023. Clinical human efficacy trials of drugs for preventing or treating viral infections, such as smallpox are not feasible and challenge studies in healthy subjects are unethical. Therefore, drugs for these indications are generally developed and approved under a regulatory pathway commonly referred to as the Animal Rule (21 CFR part 314, subpart I, for drugs and 21 CFR part 601, subpart H, for biologics). The FDA may grant marketing approval based on adequate and well-controlled animal efficacy studies when the results of those studies establish that the drug is reasonably likely to produce clinical benefit in humans.
Urev - Sexual Health Program Updates
ENTADFI® (finasteride and tadalafil) capsules for oral use, a New Treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
In April 2023, the Company sold ENTADFI®, an FDA-approved oral, once daily product for BPH for men with an enlarged prostate experiencing the signs and symptoms of BPH for up to 26 weeks, to Blue Water Biotech for $20 million ($6 million upfront and the remaining $14 million in installments through Fiscal Year 2024), with the potential for up to an additional $80 million from sales milestones.
FC2 Female Condom® (internal condom)
The Company sells FC2 in both the U.S. commercial sector and in the public health sector both in the U.S. and globally. FC2 is the only FDA approved female (internal) condom in the US. FC2 is a well-established business that has sold over 750 million female condoms worldwide. Since 2017, FC2 has generated over $213 million of net revenue. We have and plan to continue to invest the profits from the FC2 business to help fund the clinical development of our drug candidates, enobosarm and sabizabulin.
Telehealth is an important commercial strategy in the U.S. for access to birth control products especially FC2 as a nonhormonal and latex free option to prevent pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted infections. In order to maximize its reach and to have more direct control of the promotion, distribution, and sales of FC2, the Company made the decision last year to launch its own independent, FC2-dedicated telehealth digital portal. The Company continues to invest in and grow its direct to patient telehealth portal as well as adding new telehealth and internet fulfillment pharmacy partners to provide coverage in all 50 states in the U.S.
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