A Tampa, Fla. company said it has purchased the rights to use a cancer drug made by Baxter International Inc. in its development of medicines to combat a “broad range of autoimmune diseases” including multiple sclerosis.
Accentia Biopharmaceuticals Inc. this morning said its “strategic agreement” with Deerfield-based Baxter will provide “Accentia with the exclusive, worldwide right to purchase Baxter’s cyclophosphamide, which is marketed under the brand name Cytoxan.” Cyclophosphamide is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Accentia’s so-called Revimmune therapy, which the company is developing as a treatment for a range of diseases.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Further investigation of cyclophosphamide may identify a potentially valuable treatment option for patients with devastating autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, with high unmet medical need,” Dr. Debasis Chakrabarti, an executive in Baxter’s oncology treatment area, said in a statement provided by Accentia.
bjapsen@tribune.com
