Parallel Import Challenge For Astra

Swedish drugmaker Astra's sales of its antiasthma product PulmicortTurbuhaler (budesonide) in Scandinavia will be challenged by Cimilar, a parallel importer, reports the newspaper Dagens Industri.

The newspaper says that Cimilar has been granted a license to sell not only Pulmicort Turbuhaler, but also other Astra products, ie the beta blocker Seloken Zoc (metoprolol) and the vasodilator Plendil (felodipine) in Denmark, and is preparing applications for licenses to sell these products in Sweden and Norway.

Dagens Industri says that Cimilar plans to undercut not just the prices Astra is charging for its products, but also those of existing parallel importers.