AVIR Pharma announces the availability of ZEVTERA(TM) (ceftobiprole medocaril) in Canada

AVIR Pharma announces the availability of ZEVTERA(TM) (ceftobiprole medocaril) in Canada

BLAINVILLE, QC, April 10, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - AVIR Pharma Inc. (AVIR), a Canadian specialty pharmaceutical company, an affiliate of the Laboratoire RIVA Group, announced today that the hospital antibiotic ZEVTERA(TM) (ceftobiprole medocaril) is now available in Canada. ZEVTERA(TM) is approved by Health Canada for the treatment of adult patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), excluding ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).(1)

"We are extremely proud to bring ZEVTERA(TM) (ceftobiprole medocaril) to Canadian patients at a time when antimicrobial resistance is a growing Canadian and global concern. AVIR's mission is to become the Canadian partner of choice for specialty pharmaceutical products," said Olivier St-Denis, President, AVIR Pharma. "We have assembled a great team with expertise in every area of commercialization and are excited about this important milestone and bringing more specialty medicines in infectious diseases and other therapeutic areas in the years to come.''

AVIR Pharma entered into a distribution and license agreement for Canada with Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SIX: BSLN) for its antibiotic ZEVTERA(TM) (ceftobiprole medocaril). David Veitch, Basilea's Chief Commercial Officer, said: "We are very pleased to partner with AVIR Pharma for the launch of ZEVTERA and look forward to AVIR making ZEVTERA available to patients in Canada as a new treatment option.''

About ZEVTERA(TM) (ceftobiprole medocaril)

Ceftobiprole is a novel cephalosporin antibiotic for intravenous administration with bactericidal activity against a spectrum of relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and susceptible Pseudomonas spp.(2) ZEVTERA(TM) (ceftobiprole medocaril) is indicated for the treatment of the following infections when caused by susceptible strains of the designated microorganisms in patients 18 years of age and older:

    --  Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), excluding ventilator-associated
        pneumonia (VAP) caused by: Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA),
        Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae
    --  Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by: Staphylococcus aureus
        (including MRSA), Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella
        pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae(1)

Ceftobiprole is also approved for sale in major European countries and several non-European countries for the treatment of adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), excluding ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).(2)

About hospital-acquired and community-acquired pneumonia

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is one of the most common hospital-acquired infections and has been shown to have among the highest mortality rates of all hospital-acquired infections.(3) Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common condition with up to 60% of the patients requiring hospital admission and intravenous antibiotics.(4)

About AVIR Pharma Inc.

AVIR Pharma Inc. is a wholly-owned, privately-held Canadian pharmaceutical company whose mission is to enhance the lives of Canadians through the acquisition, in-licensing and co-development of innovative, specialty pharmaceutical products. Located in Blainville, Quebec, AVIR Pharma Inc. is an affiliate of the Laboratoire Riva Group, an established company with over 40 years of experience in manufacturing, distributing and promoting pharmaceutical products in the Canadian marketplace. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.avirpharma.com.

About Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd.

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company developing products that address the medical challenge of increasing resistance and non-response to current treatment options in the therapeutic areas of bacterial infections, fungal infections and cancer. The company is committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative pharmaceutical products to meet the medical needs of patients with serious and life-threatening conditions. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Additional information can be found at Basilea's website www.basilea.com.

    References

    ________________________

    (TM)            ZEVTERA(TM) is a Trademark of Basilea Pharmaceutica
                    International AG; used under license by AVIR Pharma Inc.

    (1)             ZEVTERA(TM) (ceftobiprole medocaril) Product Monograph.
                    Blainville (QC): AVIR Pharma Inc.; 2017 Oct 30.

    (2)             U.K. Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) Zevtera:
                    http://www.mhra.gov.uk/ [Accessed: March 05, 2018]

    (3)             C. Rotstein et al. Clinical practice guidelines for
                    hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated
                    pneumonia in adults. Canadian Journal of Infectious
                    Diseases & Medical Microbiology 2008 (19), 19-53

    4               W. I. Sligl et al. Severe community-acquired pneumonia.
                    Critical Care Clinics 2013 (29), 563-601

Roger Roy, Avir Pharma Inc., rroy@avirpharma.com, (514) 627-0257

SOURCE Avir Pharma