US drugmaker Pfizer said on Wednesday (Sept 25) it is withdrawing its sickle cell disease treatment Oxbryta from all markets where it is approved, citing risks of a painful complication and deaths.

Pfizer bought Oxbryta, also known as voxelotor, as part of its US$5.4 billion (S$6.95 billion) buyout of Global Blood Therapeutics in 2022.

It reported US$328 million in revenues from the therapy for the full year 2023.

Pfizer is also discontinuing all studies and access programs related to the treatment based on the available clinical data, which shows that the benefit of the drug no longer outweighs the risks associated with its use, it said.

The company added that the data shows an imbalance in vaso-occlusive crises, a complication of the disease and 'fatal events' that requires further assessment.

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