On May 6, 2020, Bausch + Lomb and co-development partners STADA and Xbrane announced that they have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with one another under which Bausch + Lomb will commercialize Xlucane, STADA and Xbrane’s proposed biosimilar of LUCENTIS (ranibizumab), if approved, in the United States and Canada. According to the press releases, STADA and Xbrane will be jointly responsible for finalizing development in the United States and Canada, Xbrane will provide commercial supplies of the product, and Bausch + Lomb will be responsible for the sales, marketing and all other commercialization efforts for the biosimilar candidate in the United States and Canada following regulatory approval.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) (“Takeda”) today announced the completion of its previously-announced sale of a portfolio of select products to STADA Arzneimittel AG (“STADA”) for a total value of $660 million USD. The portfolio includes approximately 20 over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription pharmaceutical products exclusively in Russia, Georgia, and a number of countries from within the Commonwealth of Independent States, which form part of Takeda’s Growth & Emerging Markets Business Unit. This divestment agreement was first announced in November 2019.
Germany’s Stada is to expand its over-the-counter business after agreeing to buy a portfolio of consumer health products from GlaxoSmithKline.
GSK is selling 15 OTC drugs, mainly in Europe, for an undisclosed amount as the British pharma prepares for a consumer health spinoff.
It has been a busy week so far for biosimilar developers, with multiple collaboration and commercialization deals announced.
Germany’s Stada (STAGn.D) on Tuesday agreed to purchase over-the-counter and prescription drugs units from Japan’s largest drugmaker Takeda (4502.T) for $660 million, part of two deals that boost its Russian and Eastern European footprint.
Takeda’s ax is about to fall again, this time on some over-the-counter and off-patent prescription drugs in Western Europe that could fetch around €1.5 billion. It's the Japanese drugmaker's latest push for cash to pay down its Shire deal debt.
GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer are expecting to combine their consumer health businesses later this year with the aim of an eventual spinoff. But before that can happen, some products will have to go.
Several heart drugs containing valsartan are being recalled in Europe after a Chinese active ingredient manufacturer found residues of a substance that could cause cancer in its supplies.
Add Bristol-Myers Squibb to the list of Big Pharmas doing consumer health reevaluations these days. After announcing a review last month, the U.S. drugmaker is looking to sell its French consumer health business, Upsa, according to Reuters.