EMORY UNIVERSITY, TRIANGLE PHARMACEUTICALS AND GLAXO WELLCOME RESOLVE DISPUTE RELATING TO COVIRACILTM (EMTRICITABINE, FORMERLY KNOWN AS FTC)


Glaxo Wellcome Inc. and Glaxo Group Limited have granted a worldwide, exclusive license to Emory University and Triangle Pharmaceuticals Inc., giving them access to development and clinical data, drug substance and patent property associated with Coviracil.

Coviracil is a potent antiviral nucleoside analogue active against HIV and Hepatitis B (HBV) that is claimed in patents filed by Emory naming Dennis C. Liotta, Ph.D., Raymond F. Schinazi, M.D., and Woo-Baeg Choi, Ph.D. as inventors. Triangle currently is conducting Phase II/III clinical trials with Coviracil for the treatment of HIV and Phase I/II clinical trials for the treatment of HBV.

The Glaxo Wellcome data, drug substance and patents were developed in association with a license from Emory that was terminated in 1995. In 1996, Emory licensed its FTC rights to Triangle. The parties also announced a settlement agreement including mutual releases from claims made by Emory in a lawsuit relating to the same assets. The effectiveness of both agreements is contingent upon U.S. antitrust clearance.