MEDIA RELEASE
Venofer®: Closing of the US license agreement between Fresenius Medical Care and Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
16 September 2008
Contact :
Christina Hertig, Head of Corporate Communications Galenica Group
Tel. +41 58 852 85 17, E-Mail media@galenica.com
In
July 2008, Galenica Ltd., its subsidiary Vifor Pharma and Fresenius
Medical Care, the world's largest provider of dialysis products and
services, entered into a strategic joint venture to market and
distribute its iron products Venofer® and Ferinject® for use in dialysis treatment in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
In the U.S. and Canada Galenica exclusively licenses Venofer® and Injectafer® (US brand name for Ferinject®)
to Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc., who have entered into a
corresponding sublicense agreement with Fresenius Medical Care. The
agreement covers the manufacture and distribution of Venofer® for dialysis in the US and Canadian markets. In addition, the agreement includes a similar sublicense for Injectafer® (US brand name for Ferinject®). Luitpold will continue to sell Venofer®
outside the field of dialysis for use in treating chronic kidney
disease patients who are not yet on dialysis and patients with acute
renal failure in hospitals.
Venofer® is the leading intravenous (I.V.) iron product worldwide and is regarded as the gold standard in dialysis. Ferinject®
is a new I.V. iron product with which Galenica aims to extend the
parenteral iron market beyond haemodialysis into new indications.
Galenica is a diversified Group active throughout the healthcare market which, among other things, develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products, runs pharmacies, provides logistical and database services and sets up networks. The Galenica Group enjoys a leading position in all its areas of activity - pharmaceutical manufacturing, prewholesaling, distribution, healthcare information and retailing. A large part of the Group's income is generated by international operations.