Wyeth announced that it has assumed all marketing and distribution rights in Europe to BeneFIX®, its recombinant factor IX product. Wyeth, a global pharmaceutical company with U.S. headquarters in Madison, NJ, manufactures BeneFIX®. The transfer of rights came on June 30, 2007, at the end of a 10-year distribution agreement between Baxter Healthcare Corporation and Genetics Institute, which originally developed BeneFIX®. The institute was acquired by Wyeth in 1996.

"We are pleased to broaden Wyeth’s range of therapeutic offerings for the hemophilia community in Europe," said Cavan Redmond, executive vice president and general manager, BioPharma Business Unit at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. "We also have plans—pending European regulatory approval—to introduce new convenience enhancements to BeneFIX® later this year."

BeneFIX® is indicated for the control and prevention of bleeding episodes and bleeding related to surgery in patients with hemophilia B.

Source: Wyeth news release dated July 3, 2007