Actelion, ZS Pharma in Strategic Talks
Actelion Ltd, a biopharmaceutical company based in Allschwil/Basel, Switzerland has confirmed and ZS Pharma, a pharmaceutical company based in Redwood City, California and Coppell, Texas, have confirmed that the companies initiated preliminary discussions regarding a potential strategic transaction. The companied did not comment further.
ZS Pharma’s lead therapeutic candidate, ZS-9 (sodium zirconium cyclosilicate), is an investigational treatment for hyperkalemia that has been submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration for potential approval for the treatment of hyperkalemia. The target action date by the FDA for a decision is May 26, 2016. ZS Pharma is also pursuing the discovery of additional drug candidates that use its selective ion-trap technology for treating kidney and liver diseases.
Actelion posted 2014 product sales of CHF 1.956 billion ($2.081 billion). Its key product is Tracleer (bosentanan), an endothelin receptor antagonist for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension, which is the company’s main therapeutic focus. It had 2014 sales of CHF 1.481 ($1.529 billion).
