The cancer treatment portfolio of DARA BioSciences (NASDAQ:DARA) has added its third cancer product in as many months, a topical product to treat radiation and chemotherapy burns.
DARA said that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with Charleston, South Carolina-based Innocutis Holdings for the U.S. rights of Bionect, a product that comes as both a cream and a gel. Bionect already has U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance to treat skin irritation as well as first- and second-degree burns. DARA will focus on marketing the product in cancer applications. Radiation dermatitis, a type of skin irritation, is a side effect of radiation and chemotherapy treatment.
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Under new CEO David Drutz, Raleigh, North Carolina-based DARA has been repositioning itself as a cancer products company. DARA believes that Bionect will pair well with Soltamox, a drug that already targets the breast cancer treatment market. DARA acquired U.S. rights to Soltamox in January from Rosemont Pharmaceuticals. Last month, DARA further bolstered its cancer products portfolio by licensing cancer drug gemcitabine from Canadian company Uman Pharma.
Breast cancer is expected to be a large market for Bionect. Of the breast cancer patients who receive radiation treatment, DARA said that clinical studies show that 90 percent develop dermatitis. DARA hopes to expand Bionect’s use to other cancers. DARA says that Bionect can do a better job of penetrating the skin to promote healing because it is comprised of a low-molecular weight hyaluronic acid, a component of the body’s connective tissue. DARA says that products made up of high-molecular weight hyaluronic acid work only on the surface because they’re too large to be absorbed into the skin.
Financial terms for the deals were not disclosed. But the agreements give DARA market-ready cancer products. Before the deals, DARA’s own drug development programs had not yet produced any FDA-approved products; the pharma has been developing two clinical-stage compounds in cancer pain and diabetes.
DARA could start drawing revenue from its new cancer products portfolio soon. The company expects to launch Bionect in the second quarter. Soltamox is expected to launch later this year. DARA plans a regulatory filing for gemcitabine later this year. The drug will be a generic version of Eli Lilly‘s (NYSE:LLY) branded treatment Gemzar, which accounted for $780 million in 2010 sales.
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[Image from Innocutis]
