Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi), a Stockholm, Sweden-headquartered specialty healthcare company, has elected to add a product candidate for the potential treatment of hemophilia B to the company’s collaboration agreement with Bioverativ, the Waltham, Massachusetts-headquartered company recently created from the spin-off of Biogen’s hemophilia business.

Sobi has the right to include the product candidate, rFIXFc-XTEN fusion protein, into its collaboration agreement with Bioverativ. Sobi will make a one-time payment to Bioverativ for an opt-in right to participate in the final development and commercialization of this product candidate. The opt-in right may be exercised by Sobi in connection with the submission of the marketing authorization application for rFIXFc-XTEN with the European Medicines Agency.

In September 2014, Sobi elected to add the rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN fusion molecule for the potential treatment of hemophilia A to its collaboration agreement with Bioverativ.

Sobi and Bioverativ are collaborating on the development and commercialization of Alprolix (coagulation factor IX [Recombinant], Fc fusion protein), for treating hemophilia B, and Elocta/Eloctate (antihemophilic factor [recombinant], Fc fusion protein), for treating hemophilia A. Bioverativ has final development and commercialization rights in North America and all other regions in the world, excluding the Sobi territory, and has manufacturing responsibility for Eloctate and Alprolix. Sobi has final development and commercialization rights in the Sobi territory, which includes Europe, North Africa, Russia and most Middle Eastern markets.

Bioverativ, which completed its spin-off February 2017, is an independent, publicly-traded company. During a temporary transition period, which includes time to allow Bioverativ to establish certain licenses and consents related to Eloctate and Alprolix, Bioverativ and Biogen will each have a relationship to the products.

Source: Swedish Orphan Biovitrum