Fisons/R-PR US Joint Venture Dropped

As a result of changing marketing conditions in the USA, and consequent restructuring of Fisons' sales force to reflect the changes, Fisons and Rhone-Poulenc Rorer have decided to abandon their joint venture to market each others asthma products there. This is said to be the result of health management organizations replacing physicians as the buyer of pharmaceutical products.

Fisons' most important drug in the USA market is its asthma product Tilade (nedocromil), and according to a comment in the Financial Times stock market commentary, "the news essentially marked the end of the US prospects" for the drug." However, the announcement came too late to affect Fisons' share price on that day.

Under the terms of the agreement, Fisons marketed R-PR's Azmacort (triamcinolone) in the USA alongside its asthma products, and R-PR did likewise with Fisons' products. A similar arrangement was made in Europe in September last year, and Fisons says that this is not affected by the decision in the USA.