Pharmanovia Enters Into an Exclusive Licensing Agreement With Aeterna Zentaris for the First and Only Orally Administered Approved Medicine for the Diagnosis of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults
16.3.2023 15:50:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release
Pharmanovia, a global pharmaceutical company that commercialises novel medicines and revitalises, extends and expands the lifecycle of established medicines, has today announced the expansion of its endocrinology portfolio with a new licensing agreement for GHRYVELIN™ (macimorelin), a novel medicine used for diagnosing Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency (AGHD) from Aeterna Zentaris.
The agreement gives Pharmanovia the exclusive commercial rights in the UK and EEA.
AGHD is a rare and serious condition that affects 2 to 3 people in 10,000 with significant risk of morbidity and reduced quality of life. It is underdiagnosed and often missed in patients.1
It is characterised by a number of variable and common symptoms including reduced energy levels, altered body composition, osteoporosis (reduced bone mineral density), reduced muscle strength, lipid abnormalities such as increased LDL cholesterol, insulin resistance, and impaired cardiac function.2
Pharmanovia CEO, Dr James Burt commented; ‘’Endocrinology is the largest of our four core therapy areas and the in-licensing of this important novel medicine, the second in-licensing deal of a novel medicine in almost as many weeks, speaks to our ability to in-licence novel, complementary products in the therapeutic settings we support.”
“We are well placed to use the knowledge and the platform we’ve built through our current endocrinology work to ensure that more patients get the diagnosis they need for this rare and serious condition. Furthermore today’s announcement presents a rare opportunity to license in a medicine that naturally synergises with one of the core growth products in our current portfolio.”
Dr Klaus Paulini, CEO of Aeterna Zentaris, added: “Pharmanovia has expertise marketing diagnostic testing solutions combined with an established footprint in endocrinology across Europe, so this partnership was a natural choice. We’re excited to leverage their knowledge to ensure that more patients benefit from an improved testing experience and reduction in unnecessary treatment for patients.”
About Pharmanovia
Pharmanovia is a global lifecycle management healthcare company. Our purpose is to make medicines fit for tomorrow, to improve the lives of patients globally.
We do this by enhancing established medicines either by rediscovering, repurposing or re-engineering iconic brands to improve patient outcomes and experiences both through in-house development and through strategic partnerships.
Our diverse and growing team operate in over 160 countries across the globe, delivering high-quality solutions, ethically and sustainably, across our four core therapeutic areas – Endocrinology, Neurology, Cardiovascular and Oncology.
About Aeterna Zentaris
Aeterna Zentaris is a specialty biopharmaceutical company developing and commercialising a diversified portfolio of pharmaceutical and diagnostic products focused on areas of significant unmet medical need. The Company's lead product, macimorelin (Macrilen™; Ghryvelin®), is the first and only U.S. FDA and European Commission approved oral test indicated for the diagnosis of adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD). The Company is leveraging the clinical success and compelling safety profile of macimorelin to develop it for the diagnosis of childhood-onset growth hormone deficiency (CGHD), an area of significant unmet need, in collaboration with Novo Nordisk.
About Macimorelin
Macimorelin is marketed under the brand name GHRYVELIN™ (macimorelin) in the UK and European Economic Area.
GHRYVELIN™ a ghrelin agonist, is an orally active small molecule that stimulates the secretion of growth hormone from the pituitary gland. Stimulated growth hormone levels are measured in blood samples after oral administration of GHRYVELIN™ for the assessment of AGHD. of GHRYVELIN™ was granted in 2019, based on Phase III data showing that oral macimorelin provides accuracy comparable to that of standard insulin tolerance testing (ITT)4, but has a more favourable safety profile compared to ITT. Oral GHRYVELIN™ also reduces false positive test results, helping to avoid unnecessary treatment of patients.3
References
1 J Endocr Soc. 2022 Jul 1; 6(7): bvac077. Andrew R Hoffman, Tracy Mathison, Deno Andrews, Kristine Murray, Nicky Kelepouris, and Maria Fleseriu - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9165431/ -last accessed 1.3.2023
2 Yuen KCJ, Biller BMK, Radovick S, et al -. Endocr Pract. 2019;25(11):1191-1232. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31760824/ - last accessed 1.3.2023
3 Garcia JM et al. Macimorelin as a Diagnostic Test for Adult GH Deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2018, 103(8): 3083-3093 - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29860473/ - last accessed 1.3.2023
4 https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/assessment-report/ghryvelin-previously-macimorelin-aeterna-zentaris-epar-public-assessment-report_en.pdf – last accessed 1.3.2023
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230315005846/en/
Contact information
For further information:
Alison Dyson, Director of Communications, Pharmanovia
07442 256310/ alison.dyson@pharmanovia.com
Or pharmanovia@67health.co.uk
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
IQM and Deutsche Bahn Demonstrate Quantum Algorithm for Railway Scheduling on Real Operational Data20.7.2026 09:00:00 EEST | Press release
IQM Quantum Computers (Nasdaq: IQMX), a global leader in full-stack superconducting quantum computers, today published the results of a research collaboration with Deutsche Bahn, Europe’s largest rail operator, exploring how quantum computing can improve railway scheduling. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260719172592/en/ IQM's whitepaper on hybrid quantum optimization for railway scheduling, developed with Deutsche Bahn. Using a real operational dataset from Deutsche Bahn, a schedule of 190 trips across five German cities translating into roughly 98,500 possible cycles, the two organizations developed and tested a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm designed for enterprise-scale optimization problems. As detailed in a published whitepaper here, the IQM team applied the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) in manageable stages, with the quantum component solving smaller subproblems within a classic
Galderma Launches Alastin ® in Japan and Key Markets Across Asia Pacific, Expanding Its Footprint in the Region20.7.2026 08:00:00 EEST | Press release
Galderma (SIX: GALD), the pure-play dermatology category leader, today announced the launch of Alastin – its premium regenerative skincare brand – across the JPAC region. The brand recently launched in Taiwan, will soon launch in Japan, and has received approval to launch in Singapore and South Korea, with planned market introduction in September and November, respectively. This expansion follows Alastin’s recent launches in China and Australia and underscores Galderma’s continued investment in JPAC, a region characterized by advanced skincare practices and rapid growth in injectable aesthetics.1,2 This is increasing demand for integrated skincare solutions that support skin readiness, recovery and long-term quality.3,4,5 Alastin addresses this need through its range of peri-procedural support and daily skincare products that amplify the skin’s natural regenerative abilities, supporting recovery and enhances visible outcomes of in-demand aesthetic procedures such as energy-based device
Incyte Data to Be Highlighted in Four Rapid Oral Presentations at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2026 Support Efforts to Improve Outcomes in Difficult-to-Treat Cancers17.7.2026 20:10:00 EEST | Press release
Incyte (Nasdaq:INCY) today announced that it will highlight data from several programs in its oncology portfolio in six presentations at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2026, being held October 23 - 27, 2026, in Madrid. “The data at ESMO will further illustrate Incyte’s commitment to advancing innovation for patients with cancer,” said Pablo J. Cagnoni, M.D., President, Incyte and Global Head of Research and Development. "Among the presentations are important updates from our KRAS G12D inhibitor in advanced pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer, our TGFβR2×PD-1 bispecific antibody in microsatellite stable colorectal cancer and our CDK2 inhibitor in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer – investigational approaches that reflect our focus on areas where there is significant need for novel therapies." Details on key data presentations at ESMO include: Rapid Oral Presentations INCB161734 (KRAS G12D) Safety and Efficacy of Oral KRAS G12D Inhibitor INCB161734 as Mono
STL Expands Its Optical Connectivity Portfolio in the US with the CONCAT Solution17.7.2026 15:24:00 EEST | Press release
STL Optical Connectivity NA, LLC, (STLOC), a U.S. subsidiary of STL (Sterlite Technologies Ltd.) [NSE: STLTECH], a leading connectivity solutions provider for AI-ready digital infrastructure, today announced that it launched its new advanced FTTH solution, CONCAT, after successfully completing field trials on the networks of one of the largest telecom service providers in the United States. Following successful field validation, CONCAT is now available to digital infrastructure providers seeking faster fiber rollouts with reduced deployment complexity and labor. It enables up to 71% in labor cost savings by eliminating most field splicing through factory-assembled, pre-connectorized fiber segments that deliver plug-and-play installation. CONCAT simplifies fiber deployment by shifting critical fiber preparation and termination into a controlled manufacturing environment ensuring consistent quality, faster installation, and lower operational risk in the field. CONCAT solution is ideal fo
China's ~$900B Live-Commerce Market Now Approaches US E-Commerce Scale17.7.2026 13:30:00 EEST | Press release
The center of gravity in global retail has shifted East. The formats now driving the fastest growth in global retail (live shopping, social commerce, and delivery in minutes) were pioneered and scaled in Asia, and most Western consumers have yet to adopt them. According to NIQ (NYSE: NIQ), a leading consumer intelligence company, in its global report The Commerce Revolution: Where East Meets West, the gap between East and West is still vast. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260717253489/en/ China´s USD 900bn live shopping boom now approaches the scale of the US E-commerce The scale is already substantial. China's live-commerce market alone was worth roughly $900 billion in 2025, approaching the size of the entire US e-commerce market, according to market data cited in the report. Yet 68% of consumers in North America and 67% in Europe have never once bought a product through social media, and roughly two-thirds
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom