Verus Pharmaceuticals

About Verus Pharmaceuticals

Verus Pharmaceuticals was a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company established in November 2002. The company was founded in San Diego, California, by three executives from Dura Pharmaceuticals: Cam L. Garner, Robert W. Keith, and Peter Schineller. Their collective experience in the pharmaceutical sector shaped the company's strategic direction, which was centered on addressing unmet medical needs in pediatric populations, with an initial focus on asthma, allergies, and related conditions.

The company's business model revolved around acquiring, developing, and commercializing a portfolio of products specifically for children. This pediatric orientation was a key differentiator in the market. Verus Pharmaceuticals gained recognition for developing and manufacturing Twinject, the first dual-dose epinephrine autoinjector for treating severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). This product was a significant asset, as research indicated that one out of three anaphylactic reactions might require a second dose of epinephrine shortly after the first.

Verus pursued a strategy of commercializing its products through licensing and partnerships. The company licensed Twinject to Paladin Labs for distribution in Canada and sold the European manufacturing and distribution rights to UCB. In a major transaction in September 2007, AstraZeneca acquired Verus's pediatric asthma development programs for an upfront payment of $30 million, with potential for an additional $280 million in milestone payments. Following this, in March 2008, Verus sold the Twinject asset to Sciele Pharma for $29 million and was subsequently dissolved. In 2009, Verus filed a lawsuit against AstraZeneca, seeking damages on claims of fraud and breach of contract related to the asthma program agreement.