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news.British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has completed the acquisition of the US-based oncology-focused biopharmaceutical firm Tesaro for $5.1bn (£4bn).
Image: GSK's corporate headquarters in Brentford, London. Photo: courtesy of GSK.
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Tesaro acquisition will enable GSK to strengthen its pharmaceutical business; and expand its pipeline and commercial capability in oncology.
Tesaro president and COO Dr Mary Lynne Hedley said: “This new partnership between Tesaro and GSK marks an important milestone in advancing our mission of developing transformative therapies for individuals living with cancer.”
Tesaro is a commercial-stage firm that produces Zejula (niraparib), which is an oral poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor secured approval to treat ovarian cancer.
Zejula is used as a maintenance treatment of adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy.
At present, Zejula received approval in the US and Europe to treat adult patients with recurrent ovarian cancer who are in response to platinum-based chemotherapy, regardless of BRCA mutation or biomarker status.
The clinical studies are also underway to evaluate Zejula in all-comers patient populations, as a monotherapy and in combinations.
The ongoing studies are assessing the potential benefit of Zejula in patients who carry gBRCA mutations and larger population of patients without gBRCA mutations whose tumours are HRD-positive and HRD-negative.
The initial data from the trials are expected to be available during the second half of this year.
Tesaro has various oncology assets such as antibodies directed against TIM-3 and LAG-3 targets, in addition to Zejula and dostarlimab.
GSK president and chief scientific officer Dr Hal Barron said: “Both GSK and TESARO are driven by a focus on patients and a deep desire to develop truly transformational medicines that can improve and extend their lives.
“The acquisition of Tesaro, which we have completed today, significantly strengthens our oncology pipeline and brings new scientific capabilities and expertise that will increase the pace and scale at which we can help patients living with cancer.”
