Theravance Biopharma, Inc. today announced that Health Canada has approved Vibativ (telavancin) for the treatment of adult patients with hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VAP) known or suspected to be caused by susceptible isolates of Staphylococcus aureus including methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MSSA and MRSA). Vibativ is a bactericidal, once-daily antibiotic with in vitro potency and a dual mechanism of action against Gram-positive bacteria, including difficult-to-treat pathogens such as MRSA. The antibiotic is also currently approved in Canada for the treatment of patients with complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) caused by susceptible strains of Gram-positive microorganisms. 

Vibativ will be marketed and sold in Canada by Pendopharm, a division of Pharmascience Inc., and is expected to become commercially available in 2016. This marketing clearance triggers a milestone payment to Theravance Biopharma under terms of its development and commercialization agreement with Pendopharm. Additional terms of this agreement call for Theravance Biopharma to receive potential future contingent payments and a royalty on net sales of Vibativ from Pendopharm.

For more details, go to: http://investor.theravance.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=923509