Russian Contraceptives Venture For Organon

Organon (the pharmaceutical subsidiary of the Dutch Akzo Nobel group), the Russian drug company Akhrikhin and the International Foundation for Mother and Child Healthcare have signed an agreement to set up a joint venture for the production, packaging and sale of contraceptives in Russia.

51% of the new company will be owned by Organon, 37% by Akhrikhin and 12% by the IFMCH. The joint venture will be the first western standard production unit for contraceptives in Russia, and will be named A/O Organon-Akhrikhin.

The new company will assemble Multi-load intrauterine devices under license, which are said to be the leading IUDs; it also plans to begin operations packaging Marvelon oral contraceptives, which the company says is the world's most prescribed oral contraceptive pill.