LEO Pharma A/S and The Scripps Research Institute Enter Collaboration

PARSIPPANY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LEO Pharma Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of LEO Pharma A/S, makers of the Taclonex® brand of products, announced today that LEO Pharma A/S and top biomedical research institute, The Scripps Research Institute, have entered a research collaboration.

The collaboration between LEO Pharma and The Scripps Research Institute has been established at the nexus of fundamental natural product chemistry and biomedical research. Specifically, LEO Pharma has teamed up with renowned organic chemist Professor Phil Baran and his laboratory at The Scripps Research Institute. The aim of this collaboration is to develop practical synthetic routes to complex natural products of importance to treating skin diseases.

“We are delighted to enter into collaboration with Professor Baran’s group at The Scripps Research Institute. Collaborating with one of the world’s best universities gives LEO Pharma the chance to learn from the best and drive our innovation forward. Our goal is to share knowledge and achieve findings that can be directly applied to LEO Pharma’s research and development within dermatology,” says Tore Duvold, Senior Vice President of New Product Discovery, LEO Pharma A/S.

Professor Phil Baran, The Scripps Research Institute, is looking forward to the industry-academia collaboration:

“Scripps and LEO Pharma have forged a unique relationship wherein basic science at the forefront of synthetic organic chemistry and natural products research is the primary mission for both parties. The specific natural products that LEO Pharma is interested in require deeply innovative strategies and new insights into chemical reactivity and this is precisely the science we are currently pursuing. The results of our research potentially have a great impact at LEO Pharma’s business within dermatology and this is particularly exhilarating for us all,” says Phil Baran.

About LEO Pharma Inc.

LEO Pharma Inc. is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, and is the U.S. affiliate of Denmark-based LEO Pharma A/S, a global leader in dermatology and critical care with more than 100 years of history as an independent, research-based specialty pharmaceutical company.

LEO Pharma A/S, makers of the Taclonex® brand of products, is wholly owned by the LEO Foundation. The company is developing a number of new products, including treatments for the skin disorders actinic keratosis and eczema.

To learn more about LEO Pharma Inc., visit www.leo-pharma.us.

About LEO Pharma

Founded in 1908, LEO Pharma is an independent, research-based pharmaceutical company based in Ballerup near Copenhagen, Denmark.

LEO Pharma is wholly owned by the LEO Foundation and is one of the world’s leading companies within the treatment areas of dermatology (psoriasis, skin infections and eczema) as well as prevention and treatment of thrombosis. A number of new products are being developed e.g. for treatment of the skin disorder actinic keratosis (initial stages of skin cancer caused by sun damage).

LEO Pharma develops, manufactures and markets competitive and safe drugs globally. 96% of the group’s turnover is generated outside Denmark, where LEO Pharma’s products are sold in more than 100 countries. LEO Pharma has its own sales forces in 59 countries and employs more than 3,900 full-time employees worldwide, of whom approximately 1,400 work in Denmark. Read more at www.leo-pharma.com.

About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its discoveries in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and vaccine development, as well as for its insights into autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious disease. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, the institute also includes a campus in Jupiter, Florida, where scientists focus on drug discovery and technology development in addition to basic biomedical science. Scripps Research currently employs about 3,000 scientists, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students on its two campuses. The institute's graduate program, which awards Ph.D. degrees in biology and chemistry, is ranked among the top ten such programs in the nation. For more information, see www.scripps.edu.

About Taclonex® Ointment and Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension

Taclonex® (calcipotriene 0.005% and betamethasone dipropionate 0.064%) Ointment is approved for use on the skin to treat psoriasis vulgaris (plaque psoriasis) in adults 18 years of age and older and should be applied to affected areas once daily for up to 4 weeks. Taclonex Scalp® (calcipotriene 0.005% and betamethasone dipropionate 0.064%) Topical Suspension is approved to treat moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris of the scalp in adults 18 years and older and should be applied to affected areas on the scalp once a day for 2 weeks or until cleared. If the affected area is not cleared, Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension may be continued for up to 8 weeks. Do not exceed the recommended weekly dose of 100 grams. Neither product is recommended for use on children.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT TACLONEX® OINTMENT AND TACLONEX SCALP® TOPICAL SUSPENSION

FOR TOPICAL USE ONLY. Do not use Taclonex® Ointment or Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension on your face, under your arms, or on your groin. Do not get either product in your eyes, mouth, or vaginal area. Do not swallow Taclonex® Ointment or Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension.

You should not use Taclonex® Ointment or Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension if you are allergic to any of their ingredients, have thin skin (atrophy) at the treatment site, have known or suspected calcium metabolism disorders (too much or too little calcium in your blood or urine), have erythrodermic, exfoliative, or pustular psoriasis, or have severe kidney or severe liver disease. Avoid excessive exposure to either natural or artificial sunlight if you apply Taclonex® Ointment to exposed portions of your body or use Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension. Tell your doctor if you have a skin infection, are getting phototherapy treatments for your psoriasis, are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Also tell your doctor about other medicines you are taking, especially other corticosteroids, products containing calcipotriene, or medicines for your psoriasis.

Taclonex® Ointment and Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension each may cause serious side effects if you use too much, use them for too long, or use them with other medicines that contain corticosteroids or calcipotriene. Taclonex® Ointment and Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension contain the same medicine to treat psoriasis vulgaris. If you use both medicines to treat your psoriasis vulgaris, be sure to follow your doctor’s directions carefully so that you do not use too much of one or both of these medicines. Taclonex® Ointment and Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension can pass through your skin. Serious side effects may include too much calcium in your blood or urine or adrenal gland problems. Your doctor may do special blood and urine tests to check your calcium levels and adrenal gland function while you are using Taclonex® Ointment or Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension.

The most common side effects of Taclonex® Ointment are itching and rash. Other less common side effects include redness of the skin, inflamed hair pores (folliculitis), skin irritation, skin burning, change of skin color (at the site of application), rash with pus-filled papules, thinning of the skin, and swollen fine blood vessels (this makes your skin appear red at the site of application).

The most common side effects of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension are inflamed hair pores (folliculitis) and burning sensation of the skin. Other side effects include itching, worsening of psoriasis, redness of the skin, and skin pain or irritation.

Please see the full Prescribing Information at www.taclonex.com.