Helsinn has entered into an agreement to acquire worldwide rights to Actelion Pharmaceuticals’ Valchlor^®/Ledaga^®, (mechlorethamine/chlormethine) an alkylating agent for the topical treatment of mycosis fungoides-type cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (MF-CTCL). 

Valchlor^® is the first and only FDA-approved topical formulation of mechlorethamine. It was launched in the U.S. at the end of 2013 and sales have grown from $11 million in 2014 to $35 million globally in 2017. In the U.S., approximately 15,000 patients are currently diagnosed with stage IA-IB MF-CTCL, qualifying it as a rare or orphan disease. 

Riccardo Braglia, Helsinn Group vice chairman and chief executive officer, said, “Helsinn is delighted to announce the acquisition of Valchlor^®/Ledaga^®, for the treatment of mycosis fungoides-type cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in patients who have received prior skin-directed therapy. This is a discomforting disease which has a significant impact on patients’ quality of life. Helsinn is committed to developing and marketing products designed to help people with cancer get the most out of every day and benefit from Valchlor^®, which is approved and marketed in the U.S. where limited treatment choices are available. We are excited to be adding this drug to our portfolio of products designed to offer appropriate cancer therapeutic and supportive care treatment options to patients. We are looking forward to bringing the drug to more patients worldwide”.