GalaGen Inc. and American Home Products to Develop Immune-Enhancing Ingredient
GalaGen Inc. (Arden Hills, MN) has entered into a collaboration and license agreement and a manufacturing and supply agreement with Wyeth-Ayerst, a division of American Home Products. The two companies will develop and commercialize a proprietary ingredient with antibacterial properties for use in infant formula and other nutritional products.
The companies will collaborate during the R&D phase of the product and Wyeth-Ayerst will have financial and oversight responsibilities for all clinical trials and regulatory compliance related to the use of the ingredient in infant formula products. Wyeth will have worldwide rights to the use of the ingredient in its infant formula and other nutritional products. GalaGen will retain certain rights for the manufacture, product development and licensing of the ingredient in non-infant formula nutritional products.
GalaGen's president and CEO, Robert A. Hoerr, M.D., Ph.D., said: ``This nutritional product collaboration will develop an application of our technology for many large consumer markets. Clinical proof of principle for this application has already been established, so we are confident about the success of the program and pleased that it is now moving towards rapid commercialization.''
Wyeth Nutritionals International president, Kevin Reilly, stated, ``This exciting technology will provide an important new measure of functionality for our infant formula and toddler nutrition products to further support our aggressive growth plans. We recognize that the technology has application for the broader nutritional markets and are pleased to share in the upside as we and GalaGen pursue product development and sub-licensing in additional market segments.''
Wyeth-Ayerst is a leading infant formula manufacturer with distribution in more than 90 countries.
American Home Products Corp. is a research-based pharmaceutical and health care products company. It is a leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications in addition to vaccines, biotechnology, agricultural products and animal health care.
GalaGen Inc. is a nutritional products company that utilizes its proprietary immune boosting technology and patented manufacturing processes to commercialize health-promoting foods and beverages.