OSI Pharmaceuticals
Encyclopedia
OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an American pharmaceutical company
based in Long Island, New York with facilities in Colorado
, New Jersey
and the United Kingdom
. OSI specializes in the discovery and development of molecular targeted therapies, and was listed in the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index
. Though oncology
is the top priority for OSI, research and development targeting type 2 diabetes and obesity
is conducted through their U.K. subsidiary Prosidion Limited. OSI has also made a foray into the ophthalmology market through a marketing agreement with Pfizer
over Macugen (Pegaptanib
) for Age-related macular degeneration; however, acquisition of the firm Eyetech
, meant to provide control over this product and diversify the company, has been unsuccessful, ending in divestiture.
As of mid-2007, OSI's revenues are based primarily on proceeds from Tarceva sales (which are shared with Genentech
and Hoffmann–La Roche) and royalty payments related to dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibitor intellectual property.
On June 9, 2010, OSI was acquired by Japan
-based, TSE
-listed Astellas Pharma
for $4.0 billion.
) was OSI's flagship and, as of 2007, only marketed product. Tarceva is a small molecule inhibitor
of the epidermal growth factor receptor
(EGFR) and is the only EGFR inhibitor to have demonstrated the ability to improve overall survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer
and advanced pancreatic cancer
. Tarceva was discovered by Pfizer as CP-358774 (Moyer et al. Cancer Research, 1997, 57:4838), renamed OSI-774 when Pfizer was required to divest the compound in order to complete the buyout of Warner lambert/Parke-Davis and subsequently developed by OSI in conjunction with Genentech.
Pharmaceutical company
The pharmaceutical industry develops, produces, and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to deal in generic and/or brand medications and medical devices...
based in Long Island, New York with facilities in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. OSI specializes in the discovery and development of molecular targeted therapies, and was listed in the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index
NASDAQ Biotechnology Index
The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index includes securities of NASDAQ-listed companies classified according to the Industry Classification Benchmark as either Biotechnology or Pharmaceuticals.- Criteria :...
. Though oncology
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
is the top priority for OSI, research and development targeting type 2 diabetes and obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
is conducted through their U.K. subsidiary Prosidion Limited. OSI has also made a foray into the ophthalmology market through a marketing agreement with Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
over Macugen (Pegaptanib
Pegaptanib
Pegaptanib sodium injection is an anti-angiogenic medicine for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration . It was discovered by Gilead Sciences and licensed in 2000 to EyeTech Pharmaceuticals, now OSI Pharmaceuticals, for late stage development and marketing in the United...
) for Age-related macular degeneration; however, acquisition of the firm Eyetech
Eyetech
Eyetech Group Ltd is a company founded in 1983, in order to provide commercial companies with automatical data collection systems. They had already been involved in the provision of the automatic toll collection systems used at the Dartford River Crossing, as well as many of the bar code based...
, meant to provide control over this product and diversify the company, has been unsuccessful, ending in divestiture.
As of mid-2007, OSI's revenues are based primarily on proceeds from Tarceva sales (which are shared with Genentech
Genentech
Genentech Inc., or Genetic Engineering Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology corporation, founded in 1976 by venture capitalist Robert A. Swanson and biochemist Dr. Herbert Boyer. Trailing the founding of Cetus by five years, it was an important step in the evolution of the biotechnology industry...
and Hoffmann–La Roche) and royalty payments related to dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibitor intellectual property.
On June 9, 2010, OSI was acquired by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
-based, TSE
Tokyo Stock Exchange
The , called or TSE for short, is located in Tokyo, Japan and is the third largest stock exchange in the world by aggregate market capitalization of its listed companies...
-listed Astellas Pharma
Astellas Pharma
is a Japanese pharmaceutical company, formed on 1 April 2005 from the merger of and .Astellas' franchise areas are urology, immunology , dermatology, cardiology, and infectious disease...
for $4.0 billion.
Tarceva
Tarceva (ErlotinibErlotinib
Erlotinib hydrochloride is a drug used to treat non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and several other types of cancer. It is a reversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which acts on the epidermal growth factor receptor . It is marketed in the United States by Genentech and OSI...
) was OSI's flagship and, as of 2007, only marketed product. Tarceva is a small molecule inhibitor
Enzyme inhibitor
An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to enzymes and decreases their activity. Since blocking an enzyme's activity can kill a pathogen or correct a metabolic imbalance, many drugs are enzyme inhibitors. They are also used as herbicides and pesticides...
of the epidermal growth factor receptor
Epidermal growth factor receptor
The epidermal growth factor receptor is the cell-surface receptor for members of the epidermal growth factor family of extracellular protein ligands...
(EGFR) and is the only EGFR inhibitor to have demonstrated the ability to improve overall survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
and advanced pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
. Tarceva was discovered by Pfizer as CP-358774 (Moyer et al. Cancer Research, 1997, 57:4838), renamed OSI-774 when Pfizer was required to divest the compound in order to complete the buyout of Warner lambert/Parke-Davis and subsequently developed by OSI in conjunction with Genentech.