Actelion agrees deal to acquire Ceptaris Therapeutics

Actelion has agreed a provisional deal worth around $250 million (164.34 million pounds) to acquire the privately-held specialty pharmaceutical company Ceptaris Therapeutics .

The merger is contingent upon certain closing conditions, including US Food and Drug Administration approval of Ceptaris' product Valchlor, a therapy for early-stage mycosis fungoides-type cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

If approved, this product would be the only topical formulation of mechlorethamine for the treatment of this disease available in the US.

It would represent an important new therapy option for lymphoma patients who are currently dependent on formulations prepared locally by compounding pharmacies in a non-standardised environment.

Dr Jean-Paul Clozel, chief executive of Actelion, said: "We would leverage our existing knowhow and infrastructure in the fields of orphan and ultra-orphan indications when appropriately commercialising Valchlor to specialists in the field of dermatology and oncology."

Last month, the company announced its financial results for the first half of 2013, during which it experienced a three percent year-on-year sales increase.