JV for Japan's Teijin and Spain's Esteve

Spanish drugmaker Esteve and Japan's Teijin Healthcare have entered into a new project in home respiratory therapy. To this end, the  companies have signed a joint-venture, the object of which is to  substantially improve the service given to patients by taking advantage  of the experience of Esteve in the field of health and of both towards  public administrations, doctors, health personnel and patients.

The new joint-venture is called Esteve Teijin Healthcare and ownership  is shared equally. One company is presently active: Oximeplus SA, a  firm in which the Spanish group became the main shareholder after its  acquisition in June 2008.

This agreement makes Esteve the first Spanish pharmaceutical firm to  enter the home respiratory therapy segment of the health market, which  traditionally has been served by multinational firms in the gas sector  and which has solid access barriers. The Esteve-Teijin platform in  Spain will generate European-level development.