OVERVIEW

EKR Therapeutics is an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company that is focused on oncology supportive care and the commercialization of prescription products to fill unmet patient needs. The oncology supportive care area has significant potential due to the growing incidence of cancers and increasing rates of treatment success, making quality of life during and after cancer treatment a high priority. Despite the achievement of remission or control of disease, cancer patients still bear a significant burden during and after their treatments and may have to cope with many years of cancer therapy. The impact of proper and comprehensive supportive care extends benefits beyond the patient to family, caregivers and the health professionals involved in the patients treatment. Moreover, the ability to optimally continue treatment provides health economic benefits since patients avoid interruptions in their prescribed treatment regimen.

The Need

Due to the high incidence and wide scope of side effects from primary cancer therapies, patients suffer a variety of side effects.

‘Studies show that patients’ top priorities [when faced with a life-threatening or debilitating condition] are to be free of physical and psychological distress; to have some control over decisions about their health care; to avoid death-prolonging treatments; and to improve relationships with and reduce burden on their families.”  ¹

There are a wide variety of side effects that result from treatment, which in most cases involves radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of the two. Some of the more common side effects of primary cancer treatment are:

• Skin reaction (hyperpigmentation, photosensitivity, itching, rash)
• Blood flow and blood test abnormalities (bruising, blood clots, hypercalcemia, low blood counts)
• Bone complications (bone loss, bone pain, bone metastasis, fractures)
• Nutritional issues (mouth sores, dry mouth, weight loss, taste changes, weight loss/gain)
• Hair loss
• Nausea / Vomiting / Diarrhea
• Lung fibrosis
• Heart complications
• Mental / emotional problems (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic distress)

The Model

EKR Therapeutics is pursuing the acquisition of selected pharmaceutical products in the oncology supportive care market. EKR has already completed an acquisition for North American marketing and distribution rights for Gelclair® for the treatment of mucositis, a common side effect that occurs in patients who undergo radiation and/or chemotherapy to treat their disease.

EKR intends to identify, acquire, market, distribute and eventually develop products which address the needs of patients as they look for supportive care during cancer treatment.

EKR will also seek selected cancer therapeutics in late stages of development or companies with promising pipelines in cancer treatment of support as possible acquisition targets.

 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care, 2004; p. 2.