Strong sales growth for Cresemba and Zevtera trigger further milestone payments to Basilea

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Basilea Pharmaceutica AG, Allschwil
Basilea Pharmaceutica AG, Allschwil

Allschwil, Switzerland, January 28, 2025

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil (SIX: BSLN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to meeting the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections, reported today that the sales in 2024 of the antifungal Cresemba® (isavuconazole) and the antibiotic Zevtera® (ceftobiprole) exceeded thresholds triggering sales milestone payments from distribution partners to Basilea, in the total amount of approximately CHF 2.2 million.

For Cresemba, this comprises a milestone payment for sales in Canada, by AVIR Pharma Inc, as well as the first sales milestone payment for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, by Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC. For Zevtera, this reflects a milestone payment in Europe, by Advanz Pharma.

David Veitch, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are very pleased with the commercial progress of our two commercialized brands in Canada, the MENA region and Europe. Their continued growth confirms that Cresemba and Zevtera are serving significant medical needs around the world.”

Basilea’s commercial partnerships cover well over 100 countries worldwide. By year-end 2024, Cresemba was marketed in more than 70 countries while Zevtera was marketed in 20 countries. According to the latest available market data, total global in-market sales of Cresemba in the twelve-month period between October 2023 and September 2024 amounted to USD 533 million, a 20 percent growth year-on-year, making it the largest branded antifungal for invasive fungal infections worldwide.1

About Cresemba® (isavuconazole)

Isavuconazole is an intravenous (i.v.) and oral azole antifungal, commercialized under the trade name Cresemba®. In Canada, Cresemba is approved for use in adults and pediatrics from 1 year up to 18 years for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and invasive mucormycosis.2 In countries of the MENA region, it is indicated in adults for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and for the treatment of mucormycosis in patients for whom amphotericin B is inappropriate. Isavuconazole is also approved in the United States (US),3 the EU4 and several additional countries in Europe and beyond, including Japan and China.5

About Zevtera® (ceftobiprole medocaril sodium)

Ceftobiprole, the active moiety of the prodrug ceftobiprole medocaril, is an advanced generation cephalosporin antibiotic for intravenous administration, with rapid bactericidal activity against a wide range of Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA), and Gram-negative bacteria.6 In several countries in Europe, the brand is approved as Zevtera® and Mabelio® for the treatment of adult patients with hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia (HABP), excluding ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VABP), and for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP).6 Zevtera is also approved in the United States7, 8, China and several other countries.5