Alliance to Prevent Tumor Regrowth After Surgery

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals (Vancouver, Canada) and Genzyme Corporation (Cambridge, MA, USA) announced that they have entered into a strategic collaboration designed to identify, develop, and commercialize innovative therapies for cancer patients undergoing surgical removal of tumors.

Angiotech and Genzyme will collaborate to create novel, localized treatments that target the prevention of tumor re-growth after surgery through the direct application of a combined biomaterial/anti-cancer therapeutic at the site of tumor excision. This therapeutic may also be useful in treating inoperable tumors, reducing local tumor side-effects, and improving surgical outcomes while complementing existing systemic therapies.

Under the terms of the collaboration, the companies will conduct research jointly, with each contributing key personnel, technology, and intellectual property. Genzyme will have primary responsibility for clinical development, manufacturing, and worldwide commercialization of any collaboration products. Angiotech will participate in the development of products and will have a co-marketing option. Collaboration costs and any eventual profits will be shared equally.

"We are excited to announce this partnership with one of the world's recognized leaders in biopharmaceutical and biosurgery research and product development,” said Dr. Bill Hunter, president and CEO of Angiotech Pharmaceuticals. "We believe Genzyme's specific expertise in oncology and surgical biomaterials, combined with our own expertise in drug-loaded surgical implants and medical devices, provides the resources and critical mass to accelerate our tumor resection program and develop new cancer therapies.”

"The possibility of augmenting current treatment strategies by adding a tumor-direct, non-systemic approach is of great interest to Genzyme,” stated Duke Collier, executive vice president of Genzyme. "This collaboration expands our oncology program, underscores our commitment to our biomaterials platform, which includes several marketed products, and may provide an important new treatment option for patients.”



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Angiotech Pharmaceuticals
Genzyme Corporation