Nycomed and Orion sign co-marketing deal

Published: 4-Aug-2011

Agreement covers Easyhaler combination products for treating asthma and COPD


Nycomed has signed a deal with Orion Corporation of Finland to co-market Easyhaler combination products for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The agreement covers major European countries, including Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the Benelux countries, Germany, France, Poland, Greece, Portugal and Spain.

Orion will retain exclusive marketing rights for the Nordic countries, UK and Eastern Europe, where the company is currently promoting single molecule Easyhaler products.

Switzerland-based Nycomed, which is the subject of a takeover by Takeda Pharmaceutical of Japan, will have exclusive rights to the combination products in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA).

No financial details were revealed.

Orion will exclusively manufacture the Easyhaler combination products covered by the agreement.

Orion is developing two Easyhaler formulations: one combines budesonide as an anti-inflammatory agent and formoterol as a long-acting bronchodilator, while the other uses a fluticasone/salmeterol combination.

Nycomed’s respiratory products include the COPD treatment Daxas (roflumilast), Alvesco (ciclesonide) for asthma, and Omnaris (ciclesonide) for allergic rhinitis.

Liisa Hurme, senior vice president of Orion's Proprietary Products division, said the collaboration creates a momentum for Easyhaler products in Europe and ‘strengthens Orion's strategic objective to become a stronger player in the field of respiratory medication’.

Guido Oelkers, executive vice president of commercial operations at Nycomed, said: ‘We see great potential in these high quality Easyhaler products in major European countries and the MENA region.’

He added that they would ‘significantly enhance Nycomed's fast-growing respiratory portfolio’.

You may also like