Kevelt to produce cancer drug candidate Virexxa

Estonian Cancer Research Technology Development Center manager Riin Ehin was quoted by The Baltic Times citing Public Broadcasting as saying that production of the drug for rare types of cancer does not interest large companies due to small market size.

"The current decision of these companies is that 8 million dollars of this investment will come to Estonia over the next two years and will be spent to build a production unit where medicine candidates for the European Union and U.S. markets would be produced," Ehin added.

Currently in Europe, around 25,000 women suffer from IVth stadium endometrial cancer each year and about six women in Estonia may require Virexxa annually.

Virexxa is primarily a medicine candidate which is jointly granted by the Pharmaceuticals Board and the European Pharmaceuticals Board in Estonia.

Pharmsynthes, Kevelt’s parent firm and the partner company of the Cancer Research Technology Development Center, has invested €66m for the production of the drug in the country.

Kevelt board member Allan Ahtloo said, "Our current plans show that we should receive the real sales permit in around 1.5-2 years time."