Kadmon Corporation
| Company type | Public (until acquisition) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Biopharmaceuticals |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | Samuel D. Waksal |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Harlan W. Waksal (President and CEO, 2014–2016), Samuel D. Waksal (Founder, Chief of Innovation, Science and Strategy until 2016) |
| Products | Capecitabine, dofetilide, entecavir, ribavirin, temozolomide, tetrabenazine, tobramycin, Belumosudil, tesevatinib |
Number of employees | 101 (2019) |
| Parent | Sanofi (since 2021) |
Kadmon Corporation—initially known as Kadmon Pharmaceuticals—is a biopharmaceutical enterprise headquartered in New York City, with additional facilities located in Warrendale, Pennsylvania, and Brighton, Massachusetts. Established in 2009 by entrepreneur Samuel D. Waksal, who previously founded and led ImClone Systems as CEO, Kadmon was funded privately due to legal constraints preventing Waksal from holding executive positions in publicly traded companies following his 2001 convictions.
In September 2014, Harlan W. Waksal, Samuel’s brother, took over as President and CEO while the company readied itself for an IPO. Meanwhile, Samuel continued to serve as Chief of Innovation, Science and Strategy. Samuel exited the company in early 2016, and Kadmon proceeded to file for its initial public offering in June of that year. The company’s shares started trading on the NYSE under the ticker KDMN on July 27, 2016, before transitioning to NASDAQ in October 2020.
Kadmon’s drug portfolio encompasses pharmaceuticals such as capecitabine, dofetilide, entecavir, ribavirin, temozolomide, tetrabenazine, and tobramycin. Its development pipeline prioritizes novel treatments including Belumosudil for fibrotic and neurodegenerative conditions and tesevatinib aimed at autosomal dominant and recessive polycystic kidney disease (PKD).
On September 8, 2021, multinational pharmaceutical giant Sanofi announced its acquisition of Kadmon for $1.9 billion. The deal was finalized in November of the same year, with Kadmon becoming a subsidiary under Sanofi’s corporate structure. As of 2019, Kadmon employed around 101 staff members and actively conducted clinical trials to support its strategic expansion within specialty biopharmaceutical markets.
Product acquisitions
While ImClone concentrated on early-stage research for over a decade before submitting its inaugural drug application under Waksal’s guidance, Kadmon pursued rapid growth by acquiring drugs already approved or in advanced clinical phases. The company purchased Three Rivers Pharmaceuticals based in Warrendale, PA, along with their Ribasphere and topotecan products. Additionally, Kadmon collaborated with Ontario’s Valeant Pharmaceuticals to obtain hepatitis C treatments ribavirin and taribavirin (currently KD024). Oncology agents XL647 and XL844 were acquired from Exelixis; XL647 (tesevatinib, KD019) advanced into Phase II clinical trials targeting non-small cell lung cancer and polycystic kidney disease, whereas XL844 inhibits Chk1 and Chk2 kinases with potential to increase radiosensitivity in cancer cells.
In a distinctive move uncommon among biotech firms, Kadmon incorporated PHY906 (KD018) from PhytoCeutica—an ancient Chinese herbal remedy dating back approximately 1800 years—used traditionally for gastrointestinal ailments but showing potential to enhance anticancer treatment efficacy. By 2014, KD018 was undergoing Phase II studies combined with irinotecan for metastatic colorectal cancer.
In 2011, Kadmon acquired rights from Brighton-based Nano Terra Inc. for their Pharmacomer Technology platform along with three clinical-stage candidates: SLx-2119 (KD025), a Rho kinase 2 inhibitor targeting fibrotic diseases and cerebral ischemia; SLx-4090 (KD026), a triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor addressing metabolic disorders; and SLx-2101 (KD027), a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor developed for erectile dysfunction.
The following year, Kadmon obtained rights to salirasib (KD032), a Ras pathway antagonist intended for cancer treatment from Concordia Pharmaceuticals. It also secured DX-2400 from Dyax Corp., a monoclonal antibody designed to inhibit matrix metalloproteinase-14 activity involved in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.
These carefully selected acquisitions exemplify Kadmon’s growth strategy focused on expanding its drug portfolio through late-stage assets to strengthen its position and competitiveness within oncology and specialty therapeutic sectors.
Products
By 2019, Kadmon's range comprised multiple FDA-approved generic medications addressing major therapeutic categories:
- Capecitabine tablets, functioning as a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor used in treating colon and breast cancers
- Dofetilide capsules, classified as a cardiac antiarrhythmic drug
- Entecavir tablets, a nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor prescribed for chronic hepatitis B
- Ribavirin, utilized in the management of chronic hepatitis C
- Temozolomide capsules, an alkylating chemotherapeutic agent for glioblastoma multiforme and astrocytoma
- Tetrabenazine tablets, acting as a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor for Huntington’s disease therapy
- Tobramycin, administered via inhalation nebulizer solution to treat cystic fibrosis
This assortment underscores Kadmon’s targeted emphasis on oncology, infectious disease, and neurological conditions, reinforcing its strong position within the generic pharmaceutical sector.