Ipsen partners with Invida for specialty care drugs in Southeast Asia; Nycomed and GE set up JV for Russia/CIS

French drugmaker Ipsen and Invida Group, a leading health care commercialization solutions partner in the Asia Pacific region, this morning announced an agreement for the exclusive distribution and promotion by the latter firm of Ipsen's drugs Diphereline/Decapeptyl (triptorelin) 3.75mg and 11.25mg, Somatuline Autogel (lanreotide) and Increlex (recombinant insulin-like growth factor of human origin; IGF-1) in selected countries in Southeast Asia.

For 2009, Ipsen noted, Decapeptyl sales amounted to more than 250 million euros ($334 million), while Somatuline and Somatuline Autogel generated almost 140 million euros (the drugs are marketed in over 45 countries (including 26 in Europe) for the treatment of acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumors) and Increlex, which is currently sold by Ipsen in most European countries, brought in close to 21 million euros.

Invida will be responsible for filing and commercializing the drugs in the different countries. The agreement is for an initial period of five years, renewable for an additional period of five years, and covers Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and India, with the exception of Diphereline for Thailand. Under the terms of the deal, Ipsen will receive unspecified payments upon Invida's achievement of certain commercial milestones.