Anesiva and Sagent in deal to co-promote Zingo to US hospitals

US companies Anesiva and Sagent Pharmaceuticals, have entered into an agreement in which the latter will co-promote for three years Anesiva's Zingo (lidocaine HCl monohydrate) powder intradermal injection product and will manage US distribution. Zingo, a needle-free product that provides fast-acting topical, local analgesia, has been recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration to reduce the pain associated with venous access procedures, such as intravenous insertions or blood draws, in children three to 18 years of age.

Under the deal, Sagent will join with Anesiva to co-promote Zingo within hospitals as well as facilitating contract negotiations with hospitals and group purchasing organizations. Sagent's team will focus their selling efforts toward hospital pharmacists, with Anesiva promoting primarily to physicians and nurses. In addition, Sagent will manage Zingo warehousing and distribution services. The terms of the agreement provide for Sagent to earn a royalty based on Anesiva's net sales of Zingo and for Anesiva to reimburse Sagent for certain direct expenses. Anesiva may designate additional marketing partners to address non-hospital affiliated markets.