Galenica to establish a new partnership in the UK and Ireland

As part of its strategy to establish its presence through local affiliates in key European markets, the Galenica Group, through its new subsidiary Vifor Pharma UK, has entered into an agreement with Syner-Med Pharmaceutical Products (SMPP), its longstanding partner for the markets in the UK and Ireland. SMPP's market knowledge gained through this agreement will be instrumental in establishing Ferinject® in new indications and in ensuring an optimal transition within the context of the changes affecting the existing market of Venofer®.

SMPP was founded in 1994 by Dipak Bhatti, and specialises in the commercialisation of medicines especially in the field of nephrology, but also in other indications closely linked to transfusion avoidance such as gastroenterology, haematology and gynaecology. Since 1994 the company has been a partner of Vifor Pharma for the sale of Venofer® in the UK and Ireland. On the basis of its indepth knowledge of the market, SMPP had a key role in establishing very rapidly Venofer® in the field of dialysis. Within the first few years, the company opened up an important market for Venofer® and won strong recognition by the medical community due to its remarkable expertise in the overall field of the management of anaemia.

Since May 2008, SMPP has prepared the launch of Ferinject® in the UK and in Ireland. At present significant groundwork is being done to obtain the listing of this novel drug in all hospitals, with the aim that Ferinject® can be used essentially in new indications, such as pre-dialysis patients and more typically non-hospitalised patients.

The service agreement between Vifor Pharma UK and SMPP is to last up to 5 years. At the end of that period latest, all activities, as per the terms of the contract, will be transferred gradually to Vifor Pharma UK. Furthermore, in order to have immediate access to the British market, Galenica Ltd. has acquired the SMPP sister company Syner-Medical (Pharma) Ltd. (SMPL), the holder of key market data for example on hospital and patient segment information. The service agreement with SMPP and the acquisition of SMPL will enable Vifor Pharma UK to build up its own market experience in the most important indications in view of establishing its own market presence within the defined period.