Citing ongoing problems at its Toronto plant, Sanofi Pasteur said late last week that it intends to cease production of its TheraCys and ImmuCyst bladder cancer drugs in the middle of next year.

The drug company hasn’t offered TheraCys and ImmuCyst for sale in the U.S. for the past four years following quality concerns raised by regulators in the U.S. and Canada. 

The drugs are Sanofi versions of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), which has been in short supply in the United States for several years.

Merck, which has encountered its own problems with the manufacture of BCG, indicated that it has boosted production in the U.S. and hopes to meet the increased demand. 

(Sources: Wall Street Journal, Forbes)