March 24 (Reuters) - The European Union's medicines

regulator said on Tuesday it expects Baxter International's ( BAX )

cancer drugs containing ifosfamide will remain in

shortage in the bloc well into the first quarter of next year.

Ifosfamide is used by itself or in combination with other

therapies to treat multiple cancers including testicular, small

cell and cervical cancers.

The European Medicines Agency said the shortage was due to a

technical disruption at Baxter's contract manufacturing site,

but did not disclose details.

* Baxter is the primary supplier of ifosfamide across the

EU.

* The brands, Holoxan, Tronoxal and Mitoxana, contain

ifosfamide either as the main ingredient or as a combination

with other drugs.

* Manufacturing and release of ifosfamide-containing

products had halted in September, but their production has now

resumed, albeit at a constrained level.

* The reduced capacity at the site is resulting in

limited supply of ifosfamide which will gradually improve

through 2026, Baxter said in an emailed response to Reuters.

* "We are working with urgency alongside our

manufacturing partner and in coordination with the European

Medicines Agency and other relevant stakeholders to restore

supply as quickly and responsibly as possible, Baxter added.

* The regulator last month had also warned of a shortage of

another cancer drug by Baxter, cyclophosphamide - a key

ingredient in Endoxan, Sendoxan and Genoxal - until the first

quarter of next year due to a site disruption.

* The shortages come at a time when the Middle East war is

already threatening to disrupt the flow of medicines amid

restricted air transit and closed shipping routes.