Novartis has signed an agreement to sell its international marketing and distribution rights for Leucomax (molgramostim) to Schering-Plough Corporation. Leucomax, which is used to reduce the severity of neutropenia (loss of white blood cells) in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy, was co-developed by Novartis and Schering-Plough and has been co-marketed by the two companies in various countries since 1991. Financial details were not disclosed.

"This transaction enables us to further focus our portfolio on fast-growing treatments such as Glivec, Femara Sandostatin LAR, and Zometa - the successor compound to Aredia - which has just been very successfully launched for treating bone complications of advanced cancers", said David Epstein, President of Novartis Oncology.