Ferring acquires Lysteda from Xanodyne, which aims to focus on pain sector; second deal for the firms

Switzerland-based Ferring Pharmaceuticals has entered an agreement that will expand its Women's Health product portfolio with the acquisition of the global rights to US firm Xanodyne Pharmaceutical's Lysteda (tranexamic acid), a first-in-class, non-hormonal therapy indicated specifically for treatment of women with cyclic heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). Terms of the accord wee not revealed.

The Swiss company will initially market Lysteda in the USA, and is evaluating opportunities in other markets. Lysteda oral tablets received approval on November 13, 2009, following a Priority Review by the US Food and Drug Administration. It is estimated that up to 22 million women suffer from HMB in the USA.

Explaining its decision to divest the product, Xanodyne said that it has tightly focused the strategic direction for the company on the pain management market. The company plans to leverage its core expertise in the prescription pain category by developing a range of products that address both the acute and chronic pain prescription segments as well as the over-the-counter pain market. The proceeds of the deal with Ferring will help it in achieving this aim.