Cangene to focus commercialization efforts on key markets

Cangene Corporation today reports that it will further focus its commercialization efforts on key markets for its products in the near term. Cangene acquired the U.S. commercialization rights to HepaGam B(R) (Hepatitis B Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)) in October 2009 and soon after began building a U.S. sales force. And although Cangene recently received European marketing approval for a single indication for Human Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (the product that is marketed in North America for two indications as HepaGam B(R)), it has decided that the size of the European market for this indication alone does not currently warrant further commercialization efforts. Accordingly, it intends to withdraw its licence. Cangene also recently assumed the U.S. commercialization rights to WinRho(R) SDF (Rho(D) Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)) after having exited from the European market with WinRho(R) SDF in the previous year. With its new sales force, Cangene began selling HepaGam B(R) and WinRho(R) SDF in-house in February and June respectively. To support the new U.S. commercial focus and current and future distribution requirements, Cangene has built expanded warehouse facilities at its Cangene bioPharma, Inc. location in Baltimore, Maryland. The 8,000-square-foot warehouse came on-line this month.

"As we moved into this new fiscal year, we've reviewed our commercialization strategy and will continue to focus on the markets where we can optimize our commercial assets. Consequently, our primary focus in the near term will be on the U.S. and Canada for our existing commercial products," said Dr. John Langstaff, Cangene's president and CEO. "We will also continue to explore opportunities for our products in other global markets."