Desferal, to prevent iron overload in SCD patients, acquired by Mitem
French company specializes in supplying medicines essential to serious diseases
Mitem Pharma has acquired worldwide rights to Desferal (deferoxamine), a therapy commonly used to lower excessive and damaging iron levels induced by blood transfusions in people with sickle cell disease (SCD) or other anemias.
The acquisition was reached in an agreement between Mitem and Novartis, which developed and initially marketed Desferal. Its terms were not disclosed.
“We are proud to have completed this acquisition, which reflects in every way our determination to take action for hereditary diseases and rare diseases,” Claude-Alain Cudennec and Eric Thierry, Mitem Pharma’s co-founders, said in a company press release.
Repeat blood transfusions can cause a damaging buildup of iron
Blood transfusions, which deliver healthy red blood cells or blood components to patients, are commonly given to people with SCD. The procedure is intended to help improve blood flow and oxygen delivery, as SCD is characterized by sickled red blood cells being more likely to die prematurely and to get trapped inside blood vessels, blocking blood flow.
However, routine blood transfusions can lead to complications like iron overload (hemochromatosis), where excessive buildup of this essential mineral can damage organs such as the heart and liver.
Desferal is an iron-chelating therapy administered via a subcutaneous (under-the-skin) injection. An iron-chelating therapy is designed to remove extra iron from the body.
Mitem, which is based in France, specializes it identifying and maintaining supplies of essential medicines prescribed for serious diseases, what are called medicines of major therapeutic interest or MITMS, whose supply difficulties would result in a significant risk to patients and a risk to public health.
The acquisition was supported by funding from Techlife Capital, the MACSF Group, and funds managed by Access Capital Partners and Swen Capital Partners, the company reported.
“We are pleased to accompany Mitem Pharma in its strategic focus on developing and securing MITMs. We are honored to follow-on the great heritage from Novartis in the management of this important drug with proven efficacy in these severe diseases,” said Jacques Rossignol and Jean-Max Demiautte of Techlife Capital.
“This acquisition will perfectly complement Mitem Pharma’s existing portfolio of MITMs and will contribute to strengthening and enlarging its worldwide reach and presence,” they added.
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