US generics company Mylan Inc. has obtained worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize Pfizer’s generic equivalent to GlaxoSmithKline’s Advair Diskus and Seretide Diskus products for asthma and COPD using Pfizer’s proprietary dry powder inhalation technology. Pfizer will also allow Mylan to develop and commercialize other DPI products using the delivery platform, possibly including certain compounds currently in Pfizer’s pipeline. In addition, Mylan will hire a number of former Pfizer respiratory inhalation researchers based in Sandwich, UK and will establish a respiratory development division at that location, with some additional employees also in Cambridge, UK.
Up to now, Mylan’s only respiratory product was Perforomist formoterol inhalation solution, marketed by its Dey Pharma division for the treatment of COPD. The company says that it “believes there is the potential to leverage Dey’s experience and success as it develops and commercializes this expanded respiratory franchise.”
Mylan Chairman and CEO Robert J. Coury commented, “Mylan’s acquisition of rights to Pfizer’s inhalation technology platform delivers on yet another one of our key strategic objectives by filling an important gap in our product portfolio and builds a truly world-class respiratory franchise for Mylan. I would like to personally welcome to Mylan the talented former Pfizer employees who will be joining us. This team’s core competency in respiratory brings Mylan deep knowledge and expertise that will allow us to fully leverage this exciting delivery platform. We will be establishing a ‘center of excellence’ in respiratory at Discovery Park in Sandwich and believe this franchise will serve as an additional contributor to Mylan’s long-term growth.”
Mylan President Heather Bresch added, “We are extremely pleased to enter into this agreement with Pfizer, as we believe that inhaler-based products represent a significant opportunity for our generics business and expand our focus on difficult-to-produce, limited competition products. We are particularly excited about the global potential of a generic Advair. Further, we intend to utilize this delivery platform and scientific expertise to develop additional branded specialty products, building upon the capabilities and assets we have in place at Dey Pharma. The addition of Pfizer’s dry-powder inhaler platform to Dey’s existing capabilities in nebulized medicines and allergies will create a powerful platform in this important therapeutic area.”
Read the Mylan press release.
