Novartis sees $1 bln sales in Antisoma drug

ZURICH, April 19 (Reuters) - Switzerland's Novartis AG (NOVN.VX) sees billion-dollar sales potential with the lung cancer drug AS1404, the global rights to which it purchased from Antisoma Plc (ASM.L) earlier on Thursday.

"I see no reason why a product that is this effective could not be a $1-billion product some day," said David Epstein, head of oncology at Novartis, in an interview with Reuters. He declined to offer a timeline.

Epstein said the drug, which is due to enter late-stage development as a treatment for lung cancer next year, may be applicable to other cancers as well, such as prostate and ovarian cancers.

"This compound, based on the clinical data that we have now, could be used ... almost any place that a taxane can be used," he said, referring to an older class of cancer drug.

Novartis said on earlier on Thursday it would pay British biotech firm Antisoma Plc $75 million upfront for AS1404, though total payments could reach as much as $890 million if a series of milestones are met and a second back-up drug is acquired.

Epstein said Novartis was always on the lookout for new treatments that could complement its portfolio of cancer drugs but that they were difficult to find.

"There simply aren't that many late-stage products available," he said.

Novartis is ranked third globally in terms of cancer drug sales with 2006 turnover of around $6 billion.

((Reporting by Thomas Atkins

Email: thomas.atkins@reuters.com

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