Lantheus Medical Imaging Inc. gained global control of its gadofosveset trisodium imaging agent — a.k.a. Ablavar.
The Billerica, Mass.-based company purchased the remaining rights to the sole injectable blood pool agent approved for magnetic resonance angiography in an auction of the remaining assets of Lexington, Mass.-based EPIX Pharmaceuticals Inc. The terms of the deal were not made public.
Lantheus already owned the rights to Ablavar, gadofosveset trisodium’s American marketing name, in the U.S., Canada and Australia, the company said.
Doctors use the contrast agent with MRA procedures for evaluating adults with known or suspected cases of the peripheral vascular disease aortoiliac occlusive disease. In January 2010, the company débuted the drug, which is designed to allow multiple images to be obtained using a single, low dose injection. It’s been cleared in 37 countries other than the U.S. and has been used in about 90,000 patients, according to the company.
Ablavar contains the element gadolinium, which has been linked to cases of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in patients with severe kidney disease. Late last year, a Food & Drug Administration advisory panel recommended that the watchdog agency tighten restrictions on drugs containing the element.
