Building intestinal fortitude

With a Phase IIb compound for a primary care indication, Microbia Inc. had been wrestling with how to build its commercial infrastructure. The answer came last week via a 50/50 co-development and co-commercialization deal with Forest Laboratories Inc. for linaclotide.

Microbia thinks the deal's financials, plus what remains of the $231 million it's raised in venture rounds, will be enough to get linaclotide to an NDA submission for constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome in 2H10 and fund development of additional primary care products. ...