IsoTis OrthoBiologics has sold its wound management activities to DFB Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Fort Worth, Texas, for an undisclosed amount. Healthpoint, Ltd, a subsidiary of DFB Pharmaceuticals, is a US-based market leader in advanced wound care, dermatology, and surgical products.

In August 2003, IsoTis OrthoBiologics and DFB Healthpoint entered into a worldwide exclusive licensing agreement for Allox, a cell-based product for the treatment of chronic skin wounds. In 2003, IsoTis announced the establishment of EpiSource SA to create an independent vehicle and a potential spin-off company for its wound management portfolio. Allox is the lead product of a portfolio that also includes EpiDex and AcuDress. With the transaction IsoTis OrthoBiologics has divested of all of its non-core activities, a company release said..

Pieter Wolters, chief executive officer of IsoTis OrthoBiologics, said: "Today's agreement concludes IsoTis' transformation over the past two years. It allows us to focus for the full 100 per cent on orthobiologics. As a market leader in advanced wound care, DFB Healthpoint is well equipped to maximize the value of our skin product portfolio. We wish DFB Healthpoint and our colleagues who will join DFB as part of the transaction much success in taking Allox through the next phase of clinical development and regulatory approval."

H Paul Dorman, chairman and CEO of DFB/Healthpoint added: "We believe that the future of advanced wound care will include more pharmaceutical and cell-based biologic products. We are very committed to this future and believe that Allox will be a tremendous addition to our product portfolio. This product has the potential to give our customers a powerful new treatment for wounds."