GC Biopharma said it has signed an asset purchase agreement with Catalyst Biosciences, a U.S. drug development company, for the latter's orphan hematology disorder treatment.

Under the accord, GC will acquire three drug candidates including Marzeptacog alfa (MarzAA), a rare bleeding disorder treatment candidate being tested in the global phase 3 clinical trial.

However, the company did not disclose what the other two candidates were, citing contractual reasons.

According to GC, MarzAA has proven its efficacy and safety in rare blood coagulation disorders in clinical trials. 

As MarzAA is being developed as a subcutaneous injection, it can provide the convenience of administration to patients with rare blood clotting disorders, GC said.

"We are pleased that GC Biopharma has purchased our hemophilia assets and will continue their clinical development to potentially bring new transformative treatments for several bleeding disorders," Catalyst Biosciences CEO Nassim Usman said.

GC Biopharma President Huh Eun-chul also said, "We will extend our continuous global endeavor to improve therapeutic treatments for patients suffering from many orphan disorders, including rare bleeding disorders."

Meanwhile, GC Biopharma has an extensive pipeline for hemophilia A, one of the most well-known rare bleeding disorders.

Green Mono, a plasma-derived FVIII drug, and GreenGene F, a recombinant FVIII drug, are hemophilia A drugs exclusively developed by the company.