Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCMP) late Tuesday said that Takeda Pharmaceutical acquired rights to further develop and commercialize its AMITIZA drug for markets beyond U.S. and Canada. This agreement, an expansion of the original one, excludes the Japanese and Chinese markets. Sucampo will receive an upfront payment of $14 million from Takeda and will also be eligible for up to $35 million in additional commercial milestones contingent on the achievement of certain net sales revenue targets. Additionally, Sucampo will be the exclusive supplier of AMITIZA to Takeda at an agreed-upon supply price. CEO Peter Greenleaf said this new agreement allows Sucampo to "remain focused on our strengths in drug development while allowing us to make AMITIZA available to more patients in need around the world." Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCMP) closed higher on Tuesday at $8.00 each, within a 52-week range of $5.80 - $11.00.Synthetic Biologics Inc (NYSEMKT:SYN) reported Wednesday the U.S. Patent office issued a Notice of Allowance for its lead product in SYN's C. difficile program, the drug SYN-004. SYN said the notice was the first patent pertaining to SYN-004, and adds to SYN's extensive C. difficile patent estate. SYN-004 is an oral enzyme drug, a prophylactic treatment to prevent the development of C. difficile infections. SYN-004 blocks the effects of antibiotics within the gastrointestinal tract, maintaining normal bacterial flora, thus having the potential to prevent 1.1 million C. difficile, diarrhea-causing infections in the U.S. each year, said Synthetic Biologics Inc (NYSEMKT:SYN). C. difficile causes 30,000 deaths each year, and adds an estimated four to seven hospitalization days per patient, reports the CDC.Actavis plc (NYSE:ACT), a global specialty pharmaceutical company, has been granted an exclusive option to acquire Rhythm Health Inc., a subsidiary of biopharmaceutical company Rhythm. Rhythm Health is developing relamorelin, a drug to treat gastrointestinal disorders. Actavis plc (NYSE:ACT) has completed successful phase 2 trials of relamorelin for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis and for chronic constipation, and expects to initiate a phase 2b clinical trial for treatment of diabetic gastroparesis early next year.Actavis will provide a $40 million upfront payment to Rhythm, and will have the option to acquire Rhythm Health, Inc. and the worldwide rights to relamorelin for an undisclosed amount following the completion of the Phase 2b study. Actavis and Rhythm will establish a joint development committee to oversee the development of relamorelin, with Rhythm managing all aspects of the development program during the option period. The stock has traded in a range from $143.71 to $249.94 a share in the past 52 weeks.
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