Switzerland’s Helsinn has closed an agreement with Argentina’s Varifarma and Brazil’s Blanver for the exclusive licensing and representation of one of its pipeline products in the region. The product in question is the potential oncological drug pracinostat, currently at the development stage.
Switzerland’s Helsinn has signed exclusive distribution and license agreements with Argentina’sVarifarma and Brazil’s Blanver through which the companies will be its represenatives and licensees for one of its products in the region See press release.
The deal, sealed today, Monday September 2, will see Blanver and Varifarma comercialize pracinostat, an oncological drug on the verge of being approved by the FDA.
Argentina’s Varifarma, which is owned by the Conti family, takes the license for the drug in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
Sao Paolo-based Blanver, meanwhile, will register, promote, distribute and sell the drug in Brazil, the biggest country in the region.
Argentina’s Varifarma takes the license for Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, and Blanver for Brazil. Varifarma already has agreements in the oncology sector with companies such as Amgen and Celgene.
Helsinn, a European company established in 1976, will conserve all rights to international production, including activities around clinical development and the supply of pracinostat. The FDA is expected to appove the drug for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 2020 and for high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes in 2021.
The Swiss company has a strong portfolio of oncological products: Valchlor/Ledaga; Aloxi; Akynzeo; Gelclair; and Xonrid.
Varifarma, which was born in 1995, already has agreements in the sector, including with Amgen, for Neupogen and Neulastim; Celgene, which is being acquired by BMS and gave it the license for Vidaza, as well as Octapharma, Myriad, and Nanox.
The directors speak
Helsinn’s vicepresident and CEO, Riccardo Braglia said that when choosing Blanver and Varifarma, the company had considered their experience in the region, and that the deal would help expand the potential reach of the medicine in Latin America.
Argentine Marcelo Conti, director of Varifarma reaffirmed his commitment to representing Helsinn and its product in the region while Sergio Frangioni, CEO of Blanver said: «We are proud to be bringing pracinostat and to have Helsinn as our partner in Brazil, where we share the same values and stategic vision.»
