Biocon Ltd and U.S.-based CytoSorbents Corporation have expanded the scope of their strategic partnership for CytoSorbents' CytoSorb cytokine reduction therapy to treat patients experiencing severe whole body inflammation, often called a Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). SIRS is caused by a wide range of life-threatening conditions seen in the intensive care unit and can also be caused by surgical interventions, particularly cardiac surgery.

Biocon will now have the exclusive, region-wide rights to distribute CytoSorb for all critical care applications in the intensive care unit (ICU) as well as cardiac surgery applications for India and select emerging countries. As part of the expanded agreement, Biocon will also play a prominent role in the generation of new clinical evidence to support the adoption and usage of CytoSorb. This includes commitments to conduct and publish results from multiple Investigator Initiated Trials (IITs) and patient case studies.

So far, the response to CytoSorb for the management of sepsis has been very encouraging with hundreds of patients in India having benefitted from this novel therapy. The expanded usage of CytoSorb in other applications could improve patient outcomes and save precious lives, said Biocon in its press statement.

Mr Ravindra Limaye, President, Marketing, Biocon, said: " Our expanded partnership with CytoSorbents will now enable us to address the huge unmet needs of patients experiencing a Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) as a result of burns, lung injury, liver failure, pancreatitis, post-cardiac surgery complications, and tropical diseases like malaria and dengue fever."

Dr Abhijit Barve, President, Research & Development, Biocon, said: "While our initial focus has been on sepsis, physicians are increasingly identifying conditions where very high levels of cytokines are known to cause multiple organ failure. We also believe there is a significant unmet medical need to manage high risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery by using CytoSorb to control inflammation. We are excited about working together with CytoSorbents and look forward to playing an important role in advancing the clinical development of this product."

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Biocon partnered with CytoSorbents in 2013 to launch CytoSorb in India.Over the past year, Biocon has created a dedicated sales force that is solely focused on promoting CytoSorb across multiple cities in India. CytoSorb, an extracorporeal cytokine filter, has been enthusiastically embraced by physicians as a safe and well-tolerated therapy for managing sepsis in critically-ill patients. By reducing toxic levels of cytokines, CytoSorb targets the modulation of the body's excessive immune response and the prevention or treatment of organ failure, the cause of nearly half of all deaths in the ICU.