Aastrom Acquires Sanofi's Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Business

Aastrom Biosciences, a developer of patient-specific cellular therapies for the treatment of severe diseases and conditions, has completed its acquisition of Sanofi's cell therapy and regenerative medicine (CTRM) business unit. As reported on April 21, 2014, Aastrom paid $4 million in cash and $2.5 million in a promissory note to acquire the CTRM business, which includes three marketed products in the US and Europe, as well as manufacturing and production centers in the US and Denmark.

The three marketed autologous cell therapy products acquired by Aastrom include Carticel, an autologous chondrocyte implant (ACI) product marketed in the US for the treatment and repair of articular cartilage defects in the knee; Epicel, a permanent skin replacement for full-thickness burns greater than or equal to 30% of total body surface area, which is marketed in the US; and MACI, a third-generation ACI product currently marketed in the EU for the treatment of focal chondral defects in the knee.