Servier acquires non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma treatment PIXUVRI® (pixantrone) from CTI BioPharma, strengthening the Servier oncology portfolio
1.10.2019 09:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Servier, an independent international pharmaceutical company, today announced the acquisition of PIXUVRI® from CTI BioPharma. PIXUVRI is a treatment for adult patients with multiply relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma. Servier and CTI Biopharma completed an Asset Purchase Agreement which transferred worldwide rights of PIXUVRI to Servier. Servier commercialized PIXUVRI globally, in all countries where the drug was approved under an exclusive license from CTI BioPharma.
“The acquisition of PIXUVRI is an important step towards Servier’s long-term strategy to become a key player in oncology. Within oncology, one of our key focuses is hematology, and we now have two medicines that are marketed globally alongside a strong and innovative pipeline of drug candidates which includes CAR-T therapies,” said Claude Bertrand, Executive VP, Global Head of R&D at Servier. “As part of our strategy, we are committed to invest 50% of our R&D budget in oncology.”
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system, it can occur in different parts of the body from the lymph nodes in the neck to the liver or spleen, but also in other organs such as the stomach, small bowel, bones, brain, testicles or skin.1 Globally there are over 500,000 new cases of NHL a year; it is both the 11th most commonly diagnosed cancer and cause of cancer death.2
“We have a strong commitment to providing effective solutions for patients living with cancer. PIXUVRI is an effective treatment that received standard European marketing authorization in June, and today marks a new step towards achieving Servier’s long term goals. We will ensure that patients will continue to have access to PIXUVRI”, said Eric Falcand, VP, Global Head of Business Development & Licensing at Servier. “We are continuing to strengthen our oncology portfolio through our R&D efforts and strategic alliances.”
#ENDS#
About PIXUVRI (pixantrone)
PIXUVRI is a cytotoxic medicine that works by interfering with the DNA within cells and preventing them from making more copies of DNA. This means that the cancer cells cannot divide and eventually die.3 PIXUVRI is indicated in the European Union as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with multiply relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma.3 PIXUVRI is also approved in Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Myanmar, Norway, Pakistan, Russia and Ukraine.
PIXUVRI is mentioned in the ESMO guidelines as an anthracycline-like drug with reduced cardiotoxicity, which demonstrated some efficacy in heavily treated patients.4
More detail is available in the summary of the European public assessment report (EPAR) on the EMA website at www.ema.europa.eu.
About Servier
Servier is an international pharmaceutical company governed by a non-profit foundation, with its headquarters in France (Suresnes). With a strong international presence in 149 countries and a turnover of 4.2 billion euros in 2018, Servier employs 22,000 people worldwide. Entirely independent, the Group reinvests 25% of its turnover (excluding generics) in research and development and uses all its profits for development. Corporate growth is driven by Servier’s constant search for innovation in five areas of excellence: cardiovascular, immune-inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and diabetes, as well as by its activities in high-quality generic drugs. Servier also offers eHealth solutions beyond drug development.
Becoming a key player in oncology is part of Servier’s long-term strategy. Currently, there are twelve molecular entities in clinical development in this area, targeting gastro-intestinal and lung cancers and other solid tumors, as well as different types of leukemia and lymphomas. This portfolio of innovative cancer treatments is being developed with partners worldwide, and covers different cancer hallmarks and modalities, including cytotoxics, proapoptotics and immune targeted therapies, to deliver life-changing medicines to patients.
More information: www.servier.com
Follow us on Social Media: LinkedIn I Facebook I Twitter
1 Cancer Research UK. What is NHL cancer. Available at http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/non-hodgkins-lymphoma/about/what-is-lymphoma. Last accessed September 2019.
2 World Health Organisation. Globocan 2018. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/34-Non-hodgkin-lymphoma-fact-sheet.pdf. Last accessed September 2019.
3 European Medicines Agency. Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/pixuvri-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Last accessed September 2019.
4 Tilly H et al. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL): ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Annals of Oncology (2015). Volume 26 (suppl 5); v116-v125. Available at: http://www.esmo.org/Guidelines/Haematological-Malignancies/Diffuse-Large-B-Cell-Lymphoma. Last accessed September 2019.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190930005875/en/
Contact information
Servier Media Relations
Sonia Marques
sonia.marques@servier.com
Tel. +33 (0)1 55 72 40 21 / + 33 (0) 7 84 28 76 13
Jean-Clément Vergeau
jean-clement.vergeau@servier.com
Tel. +33 (0)1 55 72 46 16 / + 33 (0) 6 79 56 75 96
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Galderma Receives U.S. FDA Approval for Differin ® Epiduo ® Acne Gel Prescription-to-OTC Switch22.5.2026 19:25:00 EEST | Press release
Galderma (SIX: GALD), the pure-play dermatology category leader, today announced that the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Differin® Epiduo® Acne Gel (Adapalene 0.1% and Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% Acne Treatment) for over-the-counter (OTC) use in ages 12 years and older, marking a significant Prescription-to-OTC transition in acne care. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260522074280/en/ The U.S. FDA approves Differin® Epiduo® Acne Gel Prescription-to-OTC switch This milestone represents yet another example of Galderma’s unique Integrated Dermatology strategy, demonstrating how proven innovations from its Therapeutic Dermatology portfolio can further strengthen its Dermatological Skincare offerings. The Prescription‑to‑OTC transition highlights Galderma’s scale and expertise in successfully commercializing dermatology innovations across the full spectrum of acne care. With the appro
Avanzanite Bioscience’s Partner Agios Announces PYRUKYND® (mitapivat) Approval in the European Union for Adults with Thalassaemia22.5.2026 17:18:00 EEST | Press release
Avanzanite Bioscience B.V., a rapidly growing commercial-stage European specialty pharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases, today reported that its partner, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGIO), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts focused on delivering innovative medicines for patients with rare diseases, announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorisation for PYRUKYND® (mitapivat), an oral pyruvate kinase (PK) activator, in adults for the treatment of anaemia associated with transfusion-dependent and non-transfusion-dependent alpha- or beta-thalassaemia, with an orphan medicinal product designation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260522186975/en/ Adam Plich, CEO and Co-Founder of Avanzanite Bioscience. “Thalassaemia is a complex, chronic and multisystem disease characterised by anaemia, ineffective erythropoiesis and haemo
ICE Brent and ICE WTI Perpetual Futures to Launch on OKX22.5.2026 15:30:00 EEST | Press release
OKX, a blockchain technology and trading company serving more than 120 million customers globally,and Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), one of the world's leading providers of financial market technology and data powering global capital markets including the New York Stock Exchange, today announced plans for OKX to launch perpetual futures based on ICE's Brent Crude and WTI Crude energy benchmarks. The products are expected to be available to trade on OKX’s platform in jurisdictions where OKX is licensed to offer perpetual futures products. The new OKX contracts represent a major step forward in expanding regulated access to global commodity markets through digital asset infrastructure. This first product collaboration between OKX and ICE comes after the companies established a strategic relationship in March 2026. ICE operates some of the world’s leading exchanges, clearing houses and market data services across energy, commodities, fixed income and equities markets. ICE’s future
Enhertu ® Recommended for Approval in the EU by CHMP for Patients with Previously Treated HER2 Positive Metastatic Solid Tumors22.5.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
Enhertu® (trastuzumab deruxtecan) has been recommended for approval in the European Union (EU) as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive (immunohistochemistry [IHC] 3+) solid tumors who have received prior treatment and who have no satisfactory treatment options. Enhertu is a specifically engineered HER2 directed DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) discovered by Daiichi Sankyo (TSE: 4568) and being jointly developed and commercialized by Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/NYSE: AZN). The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) based its positive opinion on results from patients with HER2 positive (IHC 3+) tumors in three phase 2 trials including DESTINY-PanTumor02,DESTINY-Lung01 andDESTINY-CRC02 where Enhertu demonstrated clinically meaningful responses across a broad range of tumors. The recommendation will now be reviewed by the European Commission, which has the authority
Future Health Challenge Awards USD 300,000 to Early Detection and Population Health Sensing Tools on Sidelines of World Health Assembly22.5.2026 14:45:00 EEST | Press release
Three global teams developing early detection and real-time population health monitoring solutions have secured a total of USD 300,000 on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly. The winning solutions address critical challenges in early detection, continuous population insight and more timely decision making, signalling a shift in health systems from late-stage treatment to earlier intervention. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260522587414/en/ Selected from 393 submissions across 68 countries, the winning teams were recognised through the inaugural ‘Future Health Challenge 2026: Building Anticipatory Health Systems through Population Sensing’, delivered by Future Health – A Global Initiative by Abu Dhabi in collaboration with MIT Solve. Health systems globally are facing rising costs and persistent delays in diagnosis, with many conditions still identified only after symptoms become severe. At the sam
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom