Brickell Biotech’s flagship drug gets sale approval in Japan

BOULDER — Japanese regulators have granted Brickell Biotech Inc. (Nasdaq: BBI) permission to sell its anti-underarm sweating drug in the country, marking the first time the company will have revenue from its own products.

In a statement, the Boulder company and its Japanese development partner Kaken Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. said it would sell the gel compound, known as sofpironium bromide, in the country under the brand name ECCLOCK.

Clinical-stage pharmaceutical and biotech companies like Brickell often rely on venture capital, contract research and development partnerships with larger pharmaceutical players to keep them afloat as they go through the development and regulatory process.

“This is a significant milestone for Brickell and Kaken, as Kaken can now focus its efforts on the commercial launch of sofpironium bromide gel in Japan, which is expected to occur later this year,” Brickell CEO Robert Brown said in a statement.

Brickell continues to plan for starting Phase III clinical trials in the U.S. in the final quarter of 2020, which is required for the company to get approval to sell the treatment from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The company’s stock initially rose to 88 cents per share in early trading Friday before settling to 82 cents per share as of noon Mountain Time for a 5.22% gain.

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