Organon, the women's health-focused spinoff of Merck, has picked up the rights to distribute and promote a pair of migraine medicines overseas.
Monday, Organon unveiled a marketing pact with Eli Lilly to take charge of Emgality and Rayvow in Europe.
Emgality is approved to help prevent migraines in adults who have at least four migraine days per month, while Rayvow is cleared for acute treatment of the headache phase of migraine attacks.
The commercialization agreement bolsters Organon’s existing suite of central nervous system treatments and furthers the company’s mission to help women, who are disproportionately affected by migraines, Organon’s CEO, Kevin Ali, said in a statement.
Under the deal, Lilly will maintain marketing authorizations for its drugs and continue to manufacture the products.
In exchange for the rights, Organon is handing over an upfront payment of $50 million. Lilly is also in line to receive other sales-based milestone payouts, the companies said.
Organon and Lilly expect the deal to close in 2024’s first quarter.
Lilly lists Emgality among its suite of key growth products. Last year, the drug brought home around $651 million in global sales.
As for Rayvow, the drug has suffered from weak sales since its approval in 2019, due in large part to side effect concerns.