In 1976, Bristol-Myers introduced CEENU (lomustine), a chemotherapy product for brain cancer and Hodgkins lymphoma. Lomustine is an oral alkylating nitrosourea chemotherapy used frequently in neuro-oncology with numerous indications.

Lomustine was marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb as CeeNU until 2013. At that time it was sold to NextSource Biotechology, a leading specialty pharmaceutical manufacturer and was re-branded as Gleostine. This was the only company producing lomustine in the United States. Since 2013, the cost of lomustine increase by >1500% from $50 to $768 per capsule.

Predatory price increases are clearly harmful to patients, and strategies to prevent such market dominance and control are necessary.