GSK acquires full rights for Bexxar from Corixa

UK drug major GlaxoSmithKline is to acquire the worldwide rights and responsibilities related to the manufacturing, development and commercialization of the anticancer therapy Bexxar (tositumomab) from US firm Corixa.

Under the terms of the agreement, on December 31 this year, GSK will assume rights and responsibilities for the commercial and clinical development of Bexxar on a worldwide basis. Corixa will continue to receive payments related to certain development and sales milestones, as well royalties based on the turnover of Bexxar in the USA, Canada and Australasia. Furthermore, both firms will continue to equally share royalties on Zevalin (ibritumomab), as agreed in a previous patent litigation with Biogen Idec (Marketletters passim). No financial details of the arrangement were disclosed.

Bexxar, jointly developed by GSK and Corixa, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration last year for the treatment of patients with CD20-positive, follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (Marketletter July 7, 2003).