Bioniche picks US distributor for Immunocidin

Bioniche (ASX:BNC) may be facing delays with the commercialisation of its human bladder cancer product, but it's full steam ahead for a canine cancer treatment derived from the project.

The company revealed overnight that it has appointed an exclusive US distributor for Immunocidin, the first of two canine cancer products it is commercialising.

Missouri-based Vedco will immediately start distributing the product to veterinarians via its group of member distributors.

Bioniche launched Immunocidin in the US and Canada last month as a treatment for mixed mammary tumour and mammary adenocarcinoma in dogs.

The company is positioning the therapy as a safer, easier to administer and cheaper alternative to traditional chemotherapy treatment options.

Immunocidin is one of two canine cancer products developed using Bioniche's micobacterial cell wall technology, the same platform used for human bladder cancer therapy Urocidin.

Bioniche's ambitions for Urocidin were dealt a setback earlier this month after global licensing parter Endo Pharmaceuticals decided to discontinue a phase III trial of Urodicidin in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Endo revealed it is calling off the trial – which had formed part of the US regulatory application for the product – due to a lower-than-expected rate of recruitment, and after “discussions with the US FDA regarding the.... trial design.”

Bioniche (ASX:BNC) shares were trading level at 35c as of around 3pm on Thursday.