Teva said the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Weltruza, a once-a-month injectable for adults with schizophrenia. The product is built on Medincell's long-acting injectable technology, designed to release a medicine steadily over time.
Drug approvals reset the competitive map in a treatment category. Market Briefs covers pharma free every morning.
Weltruza follows Uzedy, a long-acting injectable form of risperidone cleared by the FDA in 2023, making this the second US green light to come out of Teva's tie-up with Medincell. Weltruza uses a long-acting formulation of the antipsychotic olanzapine, which may help with the hard part of treating chronic psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia: keeping patients on a consistent regimen.
Under its collaboration with Teva, Medincell stands to earn up to $112 million in further development and commercial milestone payments, plus sales-based royalties. Investors noticed the momentum. By 11:24 GMT in Tel Aviv, Teva shares were up 2%, and trading in Medincell was halted after the company asked for a suspension before the news was made public. For everyday investors, the takeaway is simple: platforms that extend dosing can unlock follow-on products, and that can show up in how these companies trade.
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