Biopure, Pharmacia & Upjohn deal

The companies ended their agreement to develop Biopure's Hemopure hemoglobin-based oxygen transport product, which is in Phase II trials to treat blood loss associated with surgery. The pharma company said it is cutting 20 percent of its development projects to focus on higher priority projects.

Biopure plans to look for another partner. Under a 1990 agreement, The Upjohn Co. (now Pharmacia & Upjohn) received certain marketing rights to the product and assumed financial responsibility for human testing. ...