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news.Genzyme has agreed to buy its US partner Bioenvision for approximately $345 million in order to gain exclusive rights to the cancer drug clofarabine which the companies developed together.
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Clofarabine is branded as Clolar in the US and Canada, where it is marketed by Genzyme for relapsed and refractory pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients (ALL). Bioenvision markets the drug in Europe for pediatric ALL patients. Clofarabine has been granted orphan drug status for ALL and acute myeloid leukemia in both the US and European Union.
Mark Enyedy, senior vice president and general manager of Genzyme Oncology, a business unit of Genzyme Corporation, said: “We have developed a comprehensive understanding of clofarabine and its clinical potential, and are fully engaged in expanding its use into adult populations, most notably and nearest-term in AML. Full ownership will accelerate the development and commercialization of this important therapy.”
In addition to clofarabine, Bioenvision also markets Modrenal (trilostane), approved in the UK for the treatment of post-menopausal breast cancer following relapse from initial hormone therapy, and has a pipeline in development to address unmet needs in autoimmune disease and infectious disease.