Following the acquisition, Cephalon will assume the worldwide marketing, sales and development of Trisenox (arsenic trioxide) injection, a product that had worldwide sales of $26.6 million in 2004. Cephalon will offer employment to CTI sales and commercial personnel now supporting the Trisenox brand.
The agreement also provides for future cash payments to CTI, totaling up to $100 million, upon the achievement of certain label expansions and sales milestones.
Trisenox was approved for marketing in the US and Europe in 2000 and 2002, respectively, for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), a life-threatening hematologic cancer. In clinical trials, Trisenox has been shown to provide high complete response rates and a high molecular remission rate in patients with relapsed disease.
The acquisition is subject to the approval of regulatory agencies, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2005. In connection with the transaction, Cephalon also will re-acquire rights to its proteasome inhibitors, which are currently in preclinical development under a co-development agreement with CTI. The goal of this proteasome inhibitors program is to develop a new and improved therapy for multiple myeloma.