ESTEVE Acquires Global Rights to Caprelsa® from Sanofi to Treat Rare Thyroid Cancer

ESTEVE’s Agreement with Sanofi

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Announcement

ESTEVE signed an agreement with Sanofi, a French multinational pharmaceutical and health-care company, to acquire Caprelsa® (vandetanib) rights in over 50 countries and more. It’s a treatment that applies to children above 5 years and adults for the treatment of complex symptomatic medullary thyroid cancer.

Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

It is one of the types of cancer that is visible in the cells of (thyroid gland) that produce the hormone calcitonin. It is a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor that interrupts the activity of enzymes called tyrosine kinases. This medicine minimizes the blood supply to the cancer cells, which limits the cancer's growth.

Expansion to ESTEVE’s Portfolio

The agreement is an expansion to ESTEVE’s medication portfolio. Caprelsa® will be introduced as a new medicine and a solution to treat medullary thyroid cancer. Though it’s a rare type of thyroid cancer, the preventive solution limits the rate of patients suffering from the same.

Which Past Acquisitions of ESTEVE Contribute the most to the Healthcare Market?

Last year, in April 2024, ESTEVE acquired significant areas of onco-endocrinology and endocrinology for rare and ultra-rare diseases. It was an initiative to gain a specialization tag for the company. The acquisition is an addition with three new medicines to the company’s portfolio, identifying adrenocortical carcinoma and endogenous Cushing’s syndrome.

In May 2025, ESTEVE acquired a license to develop a biologic product for the treatment of adolescents from 2 -18 years old and children suffering from serious primary insulin deficiencies such as growth factor 1 deficiency. Due to this acquisition, the company last month registered a new therapy to the portfolio by considering the non-metastatic osteosarcoma, standard of care, and resectable in patients between 2-30 years of age.

Views and Statements

Chief Scientific & Medical Officer of ESTEVE, Jose Maria Gimenez-Arnau, said, “Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor that generates calcitonin from parafollicular cells. The prior treatment is surgery. Treatments such as Vandetanib are most prone to reverse or slow down the tumor growth. ESTEVE is excited to be a part of the efforts of the patients with carcinoma and their healthcare providers, with the commitment to provide the best for the patients' health and their lives.”

Chief Commercial Officer of ESTEVE, Jacob Tolstrup, said, “We are excited to expand our specialized therapies portfolio. Caprelsa® will support the lives of patients globally. It is a milestone for ESTEVE’s international journey, aiming for specialized treatment for patients.”