Tokyo, Japan - 9 December 2015: Sosei Group Corporation (“Sosei”; TSE Mothers Index: 4565) confirms the commencement by Novartis of the first Phase III trial of QVM149, a new inhaled triple therapy for asthma.

QVM149 is a fixed dose, once daily combination of the long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) glycopyrronium bromide, the long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) indacaterol, and the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) mometasone fuorate. The Phase III trial is conducted in patients with moderate to severe asthma uncontrolled by standard ICS/LABA medication.

Glycopyrronium bromide was licensed exclusively to Novartis in April 2005 by Sosei and its co-development partner Vectura.

Enrolment of the first patients into the trial programme now triggers the receipt of a milestone payment to Sosei of $3.75m under the terms of the Licence Agreement.

First regulatory filings of QVM149 are planned for 2018.