Immunomedics regains CEA-Scan rights

Monoclonal antibody developer Immunomedics has reacquired NorthAmerican marketing rights to its CEA-Scan agent from Pharmaciaof Sweden. Immunomedics, of Morris Plains, NJ, said Pharmaciahas changed its strategic direction and scaled back its cancersales force, and has agreed to return rights for the colorectalcancer imaging agent to Immunomedics as part of the restructuring.

Pharmacia won North American marketing rights to CEA-Scan afterits 1993 acquisition of Adria Laboratories, the product's initiallicensee. Mallinckrodt Medical has European marketing rights toCEA-Scan, which is under regulatory review in the U.S., Canadaand Europe.

In other Immunomedics news, the company said it recently filedan application with the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA)for approval to market LeukoScan, a technetium-labeled monoclonalantibody-based agent for the detection of osteomyelitis in longbones and diabetic foot ulcers. EMEA approval of LeukoScan willgive Immunomedics the go-ahead to market the product in all 15nations of the European Union.