Medicis And Anacor Enter Into Research And Development Collaboration For The Treatment Of Acne

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. and PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 10, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation (NYSE:MRX) and Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ANAC) today announced that the two companies have entered into a research and development agreement to discover and develop boron-based small molecule compounds directed against a target for the potential treatment of acne.

Under the terms of the agreement, Anacor will receive a $7 million upfront payment from Medicis and will be primarily responsible for discovering and conducting early development of product candidates which utilize Anacor's proprietary boron chemistry platform. Medicis will have an option to obtain an exclusive license for products covered by the agreement. Anacor will be eligible for future research, development, regulatory and sales milestones of up to $153 million, as well as high single-digit to low double-digit royalties on sales by Medicis. Medicis will be responsible for further development and commercialization of the licensed products on a worldwide basis.

"We are pleased to announce this important collaboration with Anacor," said Jonah Shacknai, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Medicis. "Anacor and its scientists are well respected in the scientific community, and Medicis is proud to be among other significant organizations who have partnered with them to explore the pharmaceutical development of the Anacor boron chemistry platform. We will together be working hard to achieve breakthroughs with this proprietary technology in the treatment of acne."

"We have demonstrated that boron-based chemistry is productive in creating novel small molecule therapeutics, and we are excited to work with Medicis to apply this technology to the development of a unique, patented treatment for acne," said David Perry, Anacor's Chief Executive Officer.  "With our technology and Medicis' expertise in developing and commercializing pharmaceuticals, we hope this collaboration will result in innovative products to help the patients who suffer from this condition."

About Medicis

Medicis is the leading independent specialty pharmaceutical company in the United States focusing primarily on the treatment of dermatological and aesthetic conditions. The Company is dedicated to helping patients attain a healthy and youthful appearance and self-image. Medicis has leading branded prescription products in a number of therapeutic and aesthetic categories. The Company's products have earned wide acceptance by both physicians and patients due to their clinical effectiveness, high quality and cosmetic elegance.