Back from the dead: Nektar hunts a blockbuster deal as opioid '181 looks less addictive than oxy
After whipping up some upbeat analyst assessments in March with a positive late-stage efficacy study for their mu-opioid pain therapy NKTR-181, Nektar Therapeutics has now put the finishing touches to its deal package on the drug with more Phase III data to position this as a first-of-its-kind opioid that addicts can’t abuse, no matter what they do to it, while effectively combating pain.
With a big focus on oncology, Nektar $NKTR has made it clear that they don’t plan to handle this solo, looking to either licensing it out completely or working on a co-marketing pact. But CEO Howard Robin clearly wants to do this on the basis that NKTR-181 is the solution to the opioid crisis that has been grabbing headlines from coast-to-coast.
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