Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) and Flamel Technologies, SA
(NASDAQ: FLML) announced today that they have entered into agreement to
formulate controlled release applications of blood clotting factor
replacement therapies using Flamel’s Medusa® Technology. The work
between the two companies will focus on developing longer-acting
formulations with the objective of reducing the frequency of infusions
required to treat blood clotting disorders in hemophilia. Pursuant to
the agreement between the two companies, Flamel will receive technology
access fees totaling €2.5 million. Baxter will pay all development costs
for the program and have an exclusive right to negotiate a license to
the Medusa platform.
”We continue to develop and advance novel therapies that improve patient
convenience by decreasing the frequency of infusions to help people
living with hemophilia lead a more normal life,” said Hartmut J.
Ehrlich, MD, vice president of global research and development in
BioScience at Baxter. “We look forward to this partnership using
Flamel’s Medusa® Technology as a novel approach to address this goal.”
“We are pleased to be working with Baxter to develop longer-acting
formulations of factor replacement therapies for hemophilia patients,”
said Stephen H. Willard, Flamel’s chief executive officer. “Baxter is an
ideal partner for these molecules due to its extensive expertise in the
field. Our work with Baxter allows us to leverage our expertise in drug
delivery to create solutions for the administration of intravenous
formulations of therapeutic proteins. This program has the potential to
develop more convenient solutions for people living with hemophilia,
their families, and physicians.”
About Hemophilia
There are two types of hemophilia: hemophilia A (sometimes called
classical hemophilia) and hemophilia B (sometimes called Christmas
disease). Both are caused by a low level or absence of one of the
proteins in the blood (called factors) that control bleeding. Hemophilia
A is caused by a deficiency of factor VIII, and hemophilia B is caused
by a deficiency of factor IX.
There is no difference between the two types of hemophilia, except that
hemophilia B is about five times less common than hemophilia A.
According to the World Federation of Hemophilia, more than 400,000
people in the world have hemophilia.
About Medusa
The Medusa platform uses biodegradable polymers to adsorb therapeutic
large molecules through hydrophobic interaction, with no loss of
bioactivity, for controlled release applications.
