ESTEVE Acquires Caprelsa Rights from Sanofi to Expand Rare Cancer Treatment Portfolio
Key Insights
ESTEVE (search) has entered into an agreement with Sanofi to acquire Caprelsa® (vandetanib) rights in more than 50 countries for treating aggressive and symptomatic medullary thyroid cancer (search) in adults and children above 5 years of age.
Caprelsa is a protein tyrosine kinase (search) inhibitor that reduces blood supply to cancer cells and slows tumor growth, offering treatment options beyond surgery for this rare neuroendocrine tumor.
This acquisition represents another strategic step in ESTEVE (search)'s transformation into a highly specialized pharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases, following recent acquisitions in endocrinology and pediatric oncology.
ESTEVE (search) has entered into an agreement with Sanofi to acquire global rights to Caprelsa® (vandetanib) in more than 50 countries, expanding access to this critical treatment for patients with aggressive and symptomatic medullary thyroid cancer (search). The acquisition includes rights for both adult and pediatric patients above 5 years of age.
Mechanism of Action and Clinical Application
Caprelsa is a protein tyrosine kinase (search) inhibitor that blocks the activity of tyrosine kinase enzymes, consequently reducing blood supply to cancer cells and slowing tumor growth. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (search) represents a rare neuroendocrine tumor that originates in thyroid cells responsible for producing the hormone calcitonin from parafollicular cells.
"Medullary thyroid carcinoma (search) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor that can produce calcitonin from parafollicular cells. The primary treatment is surgery. However, treatments like vandetanib can often slow down or even partially reverse the tumour growth," explained José María Giménez-Arnau, Chief Scientific & Medical Officer of ESTEVE (search). "We at ESTEVE are proud to join the fighting effort of the patients diagnosed with this carcinoma and their healthcare professionals, with the ambition to continue improving patient's health and lives."
Strategic Portfolio Expansion
This acquisition represents the latest milestone in ESTEVE (search)'s strategic transformation toward becoming a highly specialized pharmaceutical company focused on rare and ultra-rare diseases. In April 2024, ESTEVE acquired a business specialized in rare diseases in endocrinology and onco-endocrinology, adding three medicines to its portfolio for treating endogenous Cushing's syndrome (search) and Adrenocortical Carcinoma (search).
The company has also recently expanded its pediatric oncology capabilities, acquiring a license for a biologic product treating severe primary insulin-like growth factor 1 deficiency in children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 years. Additionally, ESTEVE (search) secured rights to an adjuvant therapy considered standard of care for high-grade, resectable, non-metastatic osteosarcoma (search) in patients between 2 and 30 years of age.
Global Impact and Market Access
"We are proud to confirm that we are increasing our highly specialized therapies portfolio. Caprelsa® will help us to improve the lives of patients all around the world. This is a step forward in ESTEVE (search)'s international journey focused on highly specialized treatments for high unmet medical needs of patients," stated Jacob Tolstrup, Chief Commercial Officer of ESTEVE.
The Barcelona-based pharmaceutical company, founded in 1929, maintains a strong international presence with affiliates across Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, France, the UK, and the USA. The completion of the Caprelsa acquisition remains subject to obtaining customary regulatory clearances.
This strategic acquisition aligns with ESTEVE (search)'s mission to deliver highly specialized treatments addressing significant unmet medical needs, particularly in therapeutic areas where limited treatment options exist for patients with rare cancers.