Novartis entered into an expanded agreement

under which GenVec will supply the Swiss drugmaker with materials for trials related to the companies collaborative hearing loss and balance disorder clinical programme, GenVec announced.

Under the agreement, Novartis will pay GenVec $13 million over four years to supply materials for up to two potential drug candidates.

The deal expands upon a January agreement between the two companies where Novartis purchased the global rights to GenVec's preclinical hearing loss and balance disorders programme in a deal valued at more than $210 million.

Under the agreement, Novartis is responsible for funding all research and manufacturing related to the compounds.