Sorrento Therapeutics and Igdrasol have acquired from Samyang Biopharmaceuticals exclusive E.U. distribution rights to Cynviloq™, a micellar paclitaxel formulation. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Cynviloq is already approved and marketed in several countries for indications including metastatic breast cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer, and ovarian cancer. Sorrento and Igdrasol say the drug has also completed Phase II studies for potential advancement into registration trials in the U.S. and that preliminary data analysis from an ongoing metastatic breast cancer Phase III trial in South Korea has shown a significantly improved overall response rate for Cynviloq as compared to a generic version of Taxol.

Previously, Igdrasol had obtained exclusive U.S. distribution rights to the drug. Pursuant to an option agreement announced in March, Sorrento is slated to acquire Igdrasol.

Said Igdrasol CEO Vuong Trieu, Ph.D., in a statement: “We look forward to potentially making this important drug…available to cancer patients who would greatly benefit from it—initially as an alternative to Abraxane® and potentially in the future as a treatment option for indications such as bladder and ovarian cancers.”

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