BioAlliance Pharma, a Paris, France-based company that specializes in the development of drugs within orphan oncology diseases, and Topotarget, a Scandinavian-based biopharmaceutical company, reported their intention to merge to create an orphan oncology company with complementary pipelines of late-stage products addressing important unmet medical needs. The merger agreement has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies. Under the terms of the merger agreement, BioAlliance Pharma will be the continuing company. 

Topotarget’s primary product, belinostat, is a pan-HDAC (histone deacetylase) inhibitor. Belinostat is in a pre-registration phase with FDA for the treatment of relapsed or refractory PTCL (peripheral T-cell lymphoma). The compound has potential for being explored into other rare cancer indications within hematology and solid tumors. Topotarget holds the exclusive rights to these products outside North America and India.

 BioAlliance Pharma has two products in late-stage development. Livatag (doxorubicin Transdrug) is currently in a phase III clinical trial in primary liver cancer. Validive (clonidine Lauriad) was granted Fast Track Designation by FDA for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis induced by anticancer treatments in January 2014, and preliminary data from an international phase II trials are expected in 2014. BioAlliance Pharma has two drugs based on its proprietary Lauriad muco-adhesive technology currently registered in Europe and the US. 

BioAlliance Pharma and Topotarget will merge their complementary pipelines of late-stage oncology products.