In a $21B transaction, in May 2015 Pharmacyclics Inc. wasacquired by Abb-Vie. Pharmacyclics Inc. a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative small-molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer and immune mediated diseases. The company is developing products to improve upon current therapeutic approaches to the treatment of cancer, atherosclerosis and retinal disease. The Company's lead texaphyrin-based product candidates are XCYTRIN, a molecule to enhance the effects of radiation and chemotherapy in treating cancer; LUTRIN, a molecule for use in photodynamic therapy of cancer; ANTRIN, a molecule to treat atherosclerosis via photoangioplasty and OPTRIN, a molecule to treat age-related macular degeneration, which is a disease of the retina caused by growth of small blood vessels that can lead to blindness. Pharmacyclics has also developed CITRA VU, an oral magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent.
