Pharmaceutical Business review

Clinigen acquires Cardioxane from Novartis

As per the agreement, Clinigen will manufacture, register, distribute, and commercialize the product in countries where current marketing authorizations exist, including key European, Asian and Latin American territories.

Cardioxane is an oncology support therapy and a cardioprotective agent that is used to prevent the cardiotoxicity of anthracycline chemotherapy in advanced and/or metastatic breast cancer patients.

Cardioxane is the third addition to Clinigen’s Specialty Pharmaceuticals (SP) business complementing Foscavir that is acquired from AstraZeneca in March 2010.

Cardioxane’s revenues have been approximately $11-12m per annum.

Clinigen CEO Peter George said that Cardioxane fits particularly well within the company’s portfolio.

"We have been looking for medicines that complement Foscavir and Cardioxane does this by extending our role in oncology support," George added.

The company has recently in-licensed VIBATIV, an anti-bacterial for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia caused by MRSA, for commercialization in the EU from Theravance.