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SA’s biggest generic drugmaker, Aspen Pharmacare, has bagged a deal that will give it exclusive rights to market, distribute, use and sell Amgen’s products in the country.
The R83bn JSE-listed pharmaceutical giant said on Thursday that the transaction will be for an initial term of five years, which it expects will be renewed.
“Amgen is a biotechnology pioneer whose medicines reach millions of seriously ill patients around the world. Amgen’s products include Aranesp, Amgevita, Prolia, Repatha, NPlate, Vectibix and Blincyto,” the company said.
“Amgen will continue to manufacture and supply its products to Aspen for the duration of the contract. The transaction includes future pipeline products and an opportunity for expansion of the territory into the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa.”
The US-based company has a presence in 100 countries and regions and its medications are used in the fight against serious illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and many others.
Aspen said it expects the deal to be complete by the beginning of July.
“The transaction forms part of Aspen’s strategy to be a partner of choice to leading global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for niche products in emerging markets,” Aspen said.
“Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and has a robust pipeline including biosimilars that will be registered and/or submitted for registration in the near future. At present, Aspen is not represented in these therapeutic areas with high growth potential.”
The announcement of the transaction comes just two months after Aspen Healthcare, a subsidiary of Aspen, entered into a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Chemical Company Holding.
In terms of this agreement, the companies will further expand their existing partnership to strategically collaborate on an extended portfolio of products, the manufacturing of products in Saudi Arabia, and the export of products to existing Aspen markets.
Aspen said in March it has made progress in contract negotiations with four multinational customers seeking to secure a portion of its sterile manufacturing capacity, but did not reveal the details.
“We are pleased to report that we are at advanced stages of contract negotiations to fill a portion of the additional sterile manufacturing capacities we have developed,” CEO Stephen Saad said.
“Once concluded, this new manufacturing business is anticipated to realise a contribution of R2bn in the 2024 calendar year, increasing to R4bn in calendar year 2025.”
Aspen also aims to close “important product portfolio transactions, which will further enhance the commercial pharmaceuticals businesses in Latin America and SA”, Saad added.
With Andries Mahlangu.
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