Celgene and Acceleron Pharma announced that Celgene has submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) for one of the drugmaker's most promising experimental blood disease drugs.
Luspatercept is designed to offer new treatment options for patients who have anemia, or low red blood cell counts, caused by either myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or beta thalassemia. The primary treatment option for these patients currently is chronic transfusion of red blood cells which can be associated with complications such as iron overload.
When Bristol-Myers Squibb announced its $74 billion acquisition of Celgene earlier this year, luspatercept was cited as a key pipeline drug of interest.
The companies also plan to submit a marketing application to the European Medicines Agency in the second quarter of 2019.
Read the press release.
