BUSINESS WIRE; Tuesday, November 25, 1997.
AMPHOCIL, also known as AMPHOTEC(R) and amphotericin-B colloidal dispersion or ABCD, is a proprietary drug designed to treat progressive and potentially fatal systemic fungal infections. It features unique technology designed to overcome the stability, storage and reconstitution problems associated with other lipid-based amphotericin-B products.
Under the terms of the agreement, CritiCare will have exclusive rights to market AMPHOCIL for a period of five years following regulatory approval, at which point SEQUUS has an option to co-market the drug. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"Leishmaniasis, or kala azar as it is known locally, is a major problem in India. Conventional amphotericin-B is frequently used, but treatment can often be restricted by dose-limiting nephrotoxicity," said Stephen Appelbee, senior director, International Business Unit, for SEQUUS. "CritiCare is an expert in this market, where fungal infections are a common complication, as well as a leader in the oncology field," he added.
"The Indian sub-continent is an emerging market for systemic antifungal agents", said Dr. Subash Phaterpekar, executive vice-president of CritiCare. "India has well-established cancer therapy centers managed by internationally-trained professionals. AMPHOCIL, with its stability and storage advantages, will be an important player both in antifungal and antileishmaniasis therapy".
AMPHOCIL was cleared for marketing in the United States, under the trademark AMPHOTEC, in November 1996, and was launched a month later. The product is sold in over twenty countries globally since it was first approved in the United Kingdom in August 1993.
CritiCare Laboratories was incorporated in 1991, with its main business being specialty pharmaceutical and enteral nutrition products in intensive care. CritiCare was created out of a strategic alliance between Tech India Ventures, Inc. (an affiliate of EJ Financial Enterprises, Inc.,), of Lake Forest, Ill., and Recon Limited, a Bangalore-based Indian pharmaceutical company.
Established in 1981 and headquartered in Menlo Park (with offices in London, England), SEQUUS develops, manufactures and sells proprietary therapeutic products to treat cancer and other life threatening diseases. SEQUUS developed and is commercializing DOXIL, an anticancer drug, and AMPHOTEC, an antifungal agent, in the United States, Europe, Latin America and other foreign markets.
Products in development encompass additional anticancer drugs, including a STEALTH(R) liposome formulation of cisplatin (SPI-077), Ciprofloxacin, CD4 and radio-sensitizers. The company is also applying its STEALTH technology to the delivery of genes, proteins, peptides, antisense and other small molecules.
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CONTACT: SEQUUS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. I. Craig Henderson, 650/323-9011 or Feinstein Kean Partners Douglas MacDougall, 617/577-8110
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