LONDON, 7 November, 2007 – Lawyers in the London office of Morrison & Foerster MNP have advised Maelor plc, a UK based specialist hospital medicines group, on an agreement with Helsinn Healthcare SA, a privately owned pharmaceutical group based in Switzerland, for the exclusive licensing and distribution rights for Aloxi (palonosetron hydrochloride) in the UK. 

Aloxi, a patented new generation 5-HT3 antagonist, was developed to prevent acute and delayed Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) in patients receiving emetogenic chemotherapies. Aloxi has had over 6.9 million successful uses since its availability in the USA in September 2003. 

Under the agreement, Maelor has also acquired rights to an oral formulation and extended indication for the management of post operative nausea and vomiting, which are in development.  

The Morrison & Foerster team included James Ryan, James Gubbins and Julian Thurston.

The agreement is the second significant transaction on which Morrison & Foerster has advised Maelor plc this year.  The team previously advised on the acquisition on Acorus Therapeutics Ltd.  Maelor became a client of the firm in January 2007.