Biota Holdings Limited is an Australia-based company engaged in drug discovery and clinical development of anti-infectives, suitable for human use and its commercialization. The Company has developed neuraminidase inhibitor, zanamivir, subsequently marketed by GlaxoSmithKline Group (GSK) as Relenza. Relenza is used to treat seasonal influenza. The Company’s research focuses on a series of candidate drugs aimed at treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease, licensed to AstraZeneca and nucleoside analogues designed to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, licensed to Boehringer Ingelheim. The Company has three products in clinical trial: RSV, human rhinovirus (HRV) and LANI.
Biota Holdings reeps Relenza royalty surge
Biotechnology company Biota Holdings (ASX: BTA) reported that first-half indicative Relenza royalty income would be $56.7 million versus total Relenza royalties for 2009 of $45 million.
Pharmaceutical partner GlaxoSmithKline said sales of its flu drug Relenza were $462 million in the December quarter.
Indicative royalties were $32.6 million, for the three months ended 31 December 2009.
The figures were calculated on an Australian dollar exchange rate of 1.8182 to the UK pound, although the actual payment will be calculated on exchange rates at 30 April 2010.








