Baxter to Acquire Chatham Therapeutics

Baxter International Inc. has entered an agreement to acquire Chatham Therapeutics for an initial payment of $70 million, and potential future payments based on certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones. With the acquisition, Baxter gains Chatham’s developmental gene therapy programs for the development and commercialization of treatments for hemophilia.
 
The two companies entered a collaboration in May 2012 to evaluate Chatham’s Biological Nano Particle (BNP) platform for potential treatments for hemophilia B, resulting in BAX 335, which is currently in Phase I/II development. Baxter will also have access to the previously partnered hemophilia B (FIX) program, a preclinical hemophilia A (FVIII) program, and the potential future application to additional hemophilia treatments.
 
”Chatham’s gene therapy platform technology offers the potential to redefine treatment of both hemophilia A and B,” said Ludwig Hantson, Ph.D., president of Baxter BioScience. ”This technology will be highly complementary to our expanding pipeline of bleeding disorder treatments as we continue our pursuit of a bleed-free world.”
 
”Given Baxter’s long-standing commitment to innovative product development in hemophilia, we are confident that this transaction provides the best opportunity for the advancement of our BNP gene therapy platform technology for the benefit of hemophilia patients worldwide. The integration of Chatham’s next-generation technology and expertise, along with Baxter’s global marketing and distribution presence, is a combination we anticipate will support efficient delivery of a potential new class of therapeutics to the hemophilia market,” said Jade Samulski, co-founder of Chatham and vice president of Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc.
 
Following the acquisition, Chatham will maintain its licensing and development relationship with Asklepios BioPharmaceutical on the development of novel hemophilia therapeutic gene therapy candidates using the BNP platform.