SangStat Pulls Version of Transplant Drug

SangStat Medical Corp. said Monday that it pulled the liquid form of its generic version of Novartis’ Neoral in the U.S. after a study showed the organ-transplant drug wasn’t equivalent to Neoral.

Abbott Laboratories had helped SangStat market the liquid form of the drug, called SangCya. SangStat continues to sell Gengraf, the capsule form of generic Neoral, with Abbott, a spokeswoman said. The drugs are used to prevent a patient’s immune system from attacking and destroying transplanted kidneys, livers and other organs.

SangStat said it withdrew the product voluntarily.

The drug was recalled only from wholesalers and not from patients or pharmacies, “to allow for the orderly transitioning of patients to other products,” SangStat said. Patients on SangCya shouldn’t change how they are taking the drug without consulting their doctors, the company said. SangStat said it will take questions from patients and doctors at (877) 264-7828.

Shares of Fremont, Calif.-based SangStat fell $1.94, or 7%, to close at $25.88 on Nasdaq.