Siklos®
On November 9, 2007, the Nordic Group signed an agreement with Addmedica, through which Nordic was granted the exclusive marketing and distribution rights for Siklos® (hydroxycarbamide) in the UK and Ireland with the possibility of extending these rights to other EU countries.
On June 29, 2007, Addmedica obtained an EU Marketing Authorisation for Siklos® as an orphan product in the prevention of recurrent, painful vaso-occlusive crises, including Acute Chest Syndrome in paediatric and adult patients suffering from symptomatic Sickle Cell Syndrome.
Sickle Cell Syndrome is a group of inherited diseases caused by a gene mutation. This mutation leads to changes in haemoglobin. These changes bring about the abnormal shape and behaviour seen in Sickle Cell Syndrome patients’ red blood cells, which become hard, sticky and shaped like a sickle. This shape causes blockages that slow blood flow, jeopardize the oxygenation of body tissue, and induce repeated, severe painful episodes, called vaso-occlusive crises, which require hospital admissions. In the long run, this causes severe damage to the organs. The clinical profiles of patients with Sickle Cell Syndrome can be remarkably varied. Sickle Cell Anaemia is the most common and severe disease.
Sickle Cell Syndrome affects 22 000 patients in Europe. Until now, no medicine has ever been registered for the treatment of Sickle Cell Syndrome in Europe.