ESTEVE to acquire medicine to treat medullary thyroid cancer

• Caprelsa® (vandetanib) is a medicine that is used in adults and children above 5 years of age to treat aggressive and symptomatic medullary thyroid cancer¹.
• This is a new step forward in ESTEVE's international growth journey focused on highly specialized treatments for high unmet medical and patient needs. 

BARCELONA, Spain, June 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ESTEVE has entered into an agreement with Sanofi to acquire Caprelsa® (vandetanib) rights in more than 50 countries, a treatment that is used in adults and children above 5 years of age to treat aggressive and symptomatic medullary thyroid cancer¹. 

Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a type of cancer that starts in the cells in the thyroid gland that produces the hormone calcitonin. This product is a 'protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor' that blocks the activity of enzymes known as tyrosine kinase. Consequently, the medicine reduces the blood supply to the cancer cells, slowing down the cancer's growth¹. 

"Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor that can produce calcitonin from parafollicular cells. The primary treatment is surgery. However, treatments like vandetanib can often slow down or even partially reverse the tumour growth². We at ESTEVE are proud to join the fighting effort of the patients diagnosed with this carcinoma and their healthcare professionals, with the ambition to continue improving patient's health and lives", confirms José María Giménez-Arnau, Chief Scientific & Medical Officer of ESTEVE.  

In April 2024, ESTEVE acquired a business specialized in rare and ultra-rare diseases in the areas of endocrinology and onco-endocrinology, as a step forward towards becoming a highly specialized company. This acquisition added three new medicines to its portfolio addressing endogenous Cushing's syndrome and Adrenocortical Carcinoma.   

Furthermore, last month, ESTEVE acquired a license for a biologic product used to treat children and adolescents from 2 to 18 years-old who suffer from severe primary insulin-like growth factor 1 deficiency³.  Building on this, the company last month, the company secured an adjuvant therapy considered the standard of care for high-grade, resectable, non-metastatic osteosarcoma in patients between 2 and 30 years of age⁴.

"We are proud to confirm that we are increasing our highly specialized therapies portfolio. Caprelsa® will help us to improve the lives of patients all around the world. This is a step forward in ESTEVE's international journey focused on highly specialized treatments for high unmet medical needs of patients", concludes Jacob Tolstrup, Chief Commercial Officer of ESTEVE. 

[The completion of the transaction is subject to obtaining customary regulatory clearances]. 

References 

1. Caprelsa | European Medicines Agency (EMA)
2. Medullary Thyroid Cancer | American Thyroid Association
3. Increlex | European Medicines Agency (EMA)   
4. Mepact I European Medicines Agency (EMA)

About ESTEVE

ESTEVE (www.esteve.com) is a global pharmaceutical company with a clear purpose: to improve people's lives. Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Barcelona, ESTEVE has a strong international presence with pharmaceutical affiliates in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, France, the UK, and the USA.  

ESTEVE is focused on delivering highly specialized treatments that address significant unmet medical needs in several therapeutic areas. In addition, to our innovative pharma business, we offer comprehensive Contract Manufacturing services (CMO), specializing in the production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) through world-class facilities in Spain, Mexico, and China. 

ESTEVE's strong commitment to its core values—people matter, transparency, and accountability—remains at the heart of everything it does.  

For more information:  

Irene Simón, Head of Global External Communications & ESG, ESTEVE
Tel.+34 934 466 000 – isimon@esteve.com  

Gemma Mestre, External & Digital Communications Manager, ESTEVE
Tel.+34 934 466 000 – gmestre@esteve.com 

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