Cipla, Meda extend rights for azelastine & fluticasone combination

Meda and Cipla Ltd, a leading pharma company in India, have expanded the existing long term collaboration agreement for the combination of azelastine and fluticasone. 

Azelastine is an antihistamine and fluticasone a corticosteroid; both are indicated for nasal treatment of allergic rhinitis. As mono substances (in the antihistamine and corticosteroid markets respectively) they have leading positions in the US In the future, a combination of azelastine and fluticasone in a nasal formulation, may give patients with allergic rhinitis a more effective treatment than current therapies.

In collaboration with Cipla, Meda has been developing this combination for the North American markets during the past years. The product is currently in phase III and the remaining clinical studies are expected to be completed during the second half of 2010.