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Helsinn Healthcare SA and Riemser Arzneimittel AG sign a license agreement for Aloxi® (palonosetron) and Gelclair® in Germany

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Helsinn Healthcare SA, a Swiss pharmaceutical
group, today announced that it has signed a Distribution and License
Agreement for Aloxi® (Palonosetron hydrochloride) and Gelclair® in
Germany with Riemser Arzneimittel AG, a medium-sized pharmaceutical
group engaging in research, headquartered in the West Pomeranian town
of Greifswald - Island of Riems, Germany.
Aloxi® is a patented second generation 5-HT3 antagonist, which is
differentiated by its strength on initiation and the duration of its
activity. Aloxi® obtained a centralized registration in Europe in
2005, with an indication for the prevention of acute nausea and
vomiting associated with highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy, and
the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with moderately
emetogenic cancer chemotherapy. Since its launch in the USA and
European countries, Aloxi® has penetrated the antiemetic market with
great success.
Gelclair® is a viscous, concentrated, bioadherent oral gel with a
mechanical action, indicated for the management of painful symptoms
associated with oral lesions of various etiologies, including oral
mucositis/stomatitis, irritation due to oral surgery, traumatic
ulcers caused by braces or ill-fitting dentures or diseases. It is
also indicated for diffuse aphtous ulcers.
"Helsinn is delighted to have entered into agreement with Riemser
for our two principal products in the cancer supportive care area",
said Dr. Riccardo Braglia, the Helsinn Group's Chief Executive
Officer. "This partnership is a key milestone in Helsinn's desire to
develop a strong supportive care franchise also in Germany, which
will contribute in building a leading position for the group in this
area. We are confident in Riemser's strong commitment to bringing
Aloxi® and Gelclair® to a first ranking position in the German
market, and we are glad that patients in Germany will benefit from
these drugs and consequently enjoy an improved quality of
life"."Riemser is excited about this new collaboration with Helsinn
for two important supportive care, products such as, Aloxi® and
Gelclair®, in which we strongly believe", said Mr. Norbert Braun,
Riemser's Chief Executive Officer, "We hold high expectations for
both products and look forward to making Aloxi® and Gelclair®
available to patients in our territory from next June and to
contributing to improve the management of chemotherapy treatment".
About Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV)
CINV is estimated to potentially affect 85% of cancer patients
undergoing chemotherapy and can result in a delay or discontinuation
of chemotherapy treatments. The supportive care area is becoming of
paramount importance to help patients deal with adverse events of
anti-cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy. With good supportive
care drugs, cancer patients are able to tolerate the anti-cancer
treatment to a greater extent, improving their chances of completing
their treatment course successfully with a better quality of life.
About Aloxi®
Aloxi® is a selective 5-HT3-receptor antagonist, developed for the
prevention of CINV, with a long half-life of 40 hours and at least 30
times higher receptor binding affinity than currently available
compounds. In practice, this means that Aloxi® only needs to be given
once per chemotherapy treatment cycle in comparison with competitor
products which need to be given several times. Since its availability
in the USA in September 2003, there have been over 6.9 million
successful uses of Aloxi®. The product showed to be effective in
preventing both acute and delayed CINV in patients receiving
emetogenic chemotherapies. For more information about this product
please visit our website: www.aloxi.com
About Gelclair®
Gelclair® is a bioadherent oral gel with a mechanical action which
provides pain relief by adhering to the mucosal surface of the mouth,
soothing oral lesions of various etiologies such as medication,
disease, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, irritation due to oral surgery,
ageing and traumatic ulcers caused by braces and ill-fitting
dentures. Gelclair® is also indicated for diffuse aphthous ulcers.
Patients with oral lesions - in particular mucositis due to treatment
with chemotherapy or radiotherapy - tend to be debilitated and in
poor general health. The pain and discomfort associated with oral
mucositis may interfere with the ability to eat and drink and with
the planned therapeutic scheme. Anything offering rapid, symptomatic
relief, which would also help patients to eat and drink more easily,
is much needed, in order to improve patients' quality of life. For
more information about this product please visit our website:
www.gelclair.net
About RIEMSER ARZNEIMITTEL AG
RIEMSER Arzneimittel AG is a medium-sized pharmaceutical company
engaged in research and headquartered in the West Pomeranian town of
Greifswald - Island of Riems. The stockholding company (AG) operates
in several branches in Germany and produces advanced substances and
medicinal products to be applied in most different areas for both
humans and animals. The preparations are sold globally.
The Human segment focuses on biotechnological medicinal products
for treating tumourous and immunological diseases. The Veterinary
segment develops vaccines and immunoglobulins. Partners of the
research and development department are well-known research
institutes and universities in Germany and Europe. Institutes of the
medical faculties of the universities of Rostock and Greifswald as
well as the renowned Friedrich-Löffler-Institut Insel Riems (FLI) are
involved in the research work in the federal state of
Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. For more information please visit:
www.riemsergroup.com
About HELSINN HEALTHCARE
HELSINN HEALTHCARE SA is a privately owned pharmaceutical group
with headquarters in Switzerland and is worldwide licensor of Aloxi®.
HELSINN's core business is the licensing of pharmaceuticals in
therapeutic areas: cancer supportive care, oncology, pain and
inflammation, gastrointestinal and niche areas. The company's
business strategy is to in-license early-stage new chemical entities
and complete their development from the performance of
pre-clinical/clinical studies and CMC development to the attainment
of market approvals in strategic markets (USA and Europe). HELSINN's
products are eventually out-licensed to its worldwide consolidated
network of partners for distribution. The active pharmaceutical
ingredients and the drug products are manufactured at HELSINN's cGMP
facilities and supplied worldwide to its customers. HELSINN'S
chemical business focuses on the pharmaceutical chemical process
development and manufacturing of advanced intermediates, Active
Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and High Potency Active Ingredients
(HPAIs) for both the HELSINN group and its outsourcing partners. For
more information about HELSINN, please visit www.helsinn.com

Contact:

HELSINN HEALTHCARE SA:
Paolo Ferrari - Head of Marketing -
Oncology & Supportive Care
Tel.: +41/91/985'21'21
E-Mail: info-hhc@helsinn.com

RIEMSER ARZNEIMITTEL AG:
Dr. Herbert Göpfert
Senior Vice President
Oncology & Hospital
Tel.: +49/251/980'13'20
E-Mail: heerdt@riemser.de

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Plus de actualités: Helsinn Healthcare SA