Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Topotarget deal

Spectrum received rights to co-develop and commercialize TopoTarget's belinostat in North America and India, with an option for China. The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor is in Phase III testing for peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL), with an NDA submission planned for 2011.

Spectrum and TopoTarget will share future development costs on a 70-30 basis. Spectrum will take over funding of the ongoing pivotal Phase II BELIEF trial for PTCL, and TopoTarget is responsible for the ongoing Phase II trial for cancer of unknown primary (CUP). Belinostat has Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations in the U.S. for PTCL. ...