Biogen Idec to purchase Syntonix

Biogen Idec has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Syntonix Pharmaceuticals. Syntonix is a privately-owned pharmaceutical company involved in the discovery and development of long-acting pharmaceutical products to enhance treatment of chronic diseases, with a number of haemophilia treatments currently in pre-clinical trials.

Syntonix develops products that enhance the delivery of drugs by lowering the number of injections necessary or facilitating pulmonary delivery. This is achieved through using natural pathways in the body for the protection of antibodies and enabling their transport across cell barriers.

The company’s lead product is a long-acting factor IX treatment named Fix:FC that may reduce the number of injections necessary to control haemophilia B.

James C Mullen, president and chief executive officer of Biogen Idec, commented that this acquisition was part of the company’s continued improvement of its research and development pipeline and movement into specialised market areas.

“Syntonix brings promising science and technology to areas of unmet medical need such as haemophilia and we look forward to building on their expertise with Biogen Idec’s global development, manufacturing and commercial capabilities,” he said.

In May 2006, Biogen Idec announced that it had signed a definite agreement for the purchase of Fumapharm, a company that develops pharmaceuticals from fumaric acid esters.