Ranbaxy to sell Aussie firm's cancer medicine

Leading pharma company Ranbaxy Laboratories has strengthened its presence in the cancer drug segment through an exclusive in-licensing agreement with Australian drug manufacturer Sirtex Medical (Sirtex).

Ranbaxy will market Sirtex's liver cancer medicine, SIR-Spheres, in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The product, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), is used on patients with inoperable tumours.

Ranbaxy had earlier tied up with Hyderabad-based Zenotech to market its oncology products in the US and Canada.

Sanjeev Dani, senior vice-president and regional director, Asia and CIS, Ranbaxy, said, "We are pleased to partner with Sirtex. We shall work towards creating a productive relationship."

SIR-Spheres is used to treat patients with liver cancer in Australia, the US, Europe, New Zealand and Asia.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the West.

The incidences of CRC are also rising in India. Currently, the prevalence is close to 4 cases per 100,000 persons.

Obesity, tobacco use, dietary factors and inflammatory bowel disease are some of the risk factors associated with CRC.