R-PR And Novo Forge HRT Alliance

Rhone-Poulenc Rorer and Novo Nordisk have created a worldwide alliance in the area of female hormone replacement therapy. The alliance will involve the promotion of both companies' HRT products in all world markets with the exception of Japan.

The alliance will be ranked number three worldwide and number two in Europe in the women's health sector. Together, the companies can offer a comprehensive range of HRT products, delivery systems and dosing schedules "in an effort to provide physicians and women with unprecedented choice in determining which ther-apy is most appropriate for their use," according to Lars Rebien Sorensen, Novo's executive vice president for the health business.

The Novo products in the alliance will be: Kliogest, an oral continuous combination of estradiol and norethisterone acetate; Trisequens, a sequential combination or oral estradiol and norethisterone acetate; Estrofem, an oral estrogen; and Vagifem, an estradiol-based local HRT product.