The two companies have already been marketing partners for the drug which is used
for treating castration resistant prostate cancer and symptomatic bone metastases. From the website below:
“The active moiety of Xofigo is the alpha particle-emitting isotope radium 223 (as radium 223 dichloride), which mimics calcium and forms complexes with the bone mineral hydroxyapatite at areas of increased bone turnover, such as bone metastases. The high linear energy transfer of alpha emitters (80 keV/micrometer) leads to a high frequency of double-strand DNA breaks in adjacent cells, resulting in an anti-tumor effect on bone metastases. The alpha particle range from radium 223 dichloride is less than 100 micrometers (less than 10 cell diameters) which limits damage to the surrounding normal tissue.
After intravenous injection, radium 223 is rapidly cleared from the blood and is distributed primarily into bone or is excreted into intestine. Fifteen minutes post-injection, about 20% of the injected radioactivity remained in blood. At 4 hours, about 4% of the injected radioactivity remained in blood, decreasing to less than 1% at 24 hours after the injection. At 10 minutes post-injection, radioactivity was observed in bone and in intestine. At 4 hours post-injection, the percentage of the radioactive dose present in bone and intestine was approximately 61% and 49%, respectively. No significant uptake was seen in other organs such as heart, liver, kidneys, urinary bladder, 
and spleen at 4 hours post-injection.”
“Radium-223, after injection, is carried in the bloodstream to sites of abnormal bone growth. The place where a cancer starts in the body is known as the primary tumor. Some of these cells may break away and be carried in the bloodstream to another part of the body. The cancer cells may then settle in that part of the body and form a new tumor. If this happens it is called a secondary cancer or a metastasis.
Most patients with late stage prostate cancer suffer the maximum burden of disease in their bones. The aim with radium-223 is to selectively target this secondary cancer. Any radium-223 not taken-up in the bones is quickly routed to the gut and excreted.”
The FDA approved the drug in May of this year. The cost and access to cancer drugs these days is a big topic as well and back in 2012 India allowed a generic manufacturer of sell generic copies of another Bayer cancer drug.
India Authorizes Local Drug Manufacturer to Make and Sell Generic Copy of Patented Bayer Cancer Drug To Make It Affordable
One might guess the cost is not cheap with this drug either and it’s radioactivity properties are quite a bit different than many other cancer drugs on the market. BD
Bayer and Algeta are already partners in selling the prostate cancer drug Xofigo, the use of which was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in May. The companies have worked together on developing the drug since 2009.Updated, 9:07 a.m. | LONDON – The Norwegian cancer drug maker Algeta said Thursday that it had agreed to be acquired by the German drug giant Bayer in a deal valued at about $2.9 billion.
Bayer made a preliminary offer for the company last month of about $2.4 billion, but later raised its bid.
Algeta said on Thursday that Bayer, through a subsidiary, intends to launch a cash tender offer to acquire the outstanding stock of the company for 362 Norwegian kroner, or about $59.13, a share. The offer is a 37 percent premium on Algeta’s closing price on Nov. 25, the day before the preliminary offer was announced.
Algeta said its board had unanimously recommended that shareholders accept the offer.
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