Beijing Med-Pharm signs ondansetron agreement with Shanghai Ethypharm

Beijing Med-Pharm has signed an exclusive license agreement with Shanghai Ethypharm Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of the French drug delivery company Ethypharm, where Beijing Med-Pharm will market and distribute ondansetron Flashtab (4 and 8 mg) in the People's Republic of China.

Under the terms of the agreement, Shanghai Ethypharm will pursue registration of ondansetron Flashtabin China, a process expected to be completed in 2009. Beijing Med-Pharm will take on responsibility for sales, marketing, distribution and supply.

David Gao, CEO of Beijing Med-Pharm, said: "Ondansetron is a significant global product that complements our plans in oncology and the portfolio of supportive therapies we are building for that market, including Galake, the analgesic we recently licensed from Lotus. We are very pleased to be entering our first collaboration with one of Europe's leading drug delivery companies."

"Ethypharm has made a significant corporate commitment to entering Asian markets and we believe there is a substantial opportunity in China for our Flashtab ondansetron product," said Philippe Malecki, General Manager of Shanghai Ethypharm. "Offering comprehensive sales and marketing support as well as a proprietary distribution system reaching major Chinese markets, we believe Beijing Med-Pharm represents a unique resource for expediting the successful launch of this product and generating rapid sales growth."

Ondansetron is the generic form of Zofran, the world leader in the 5-HT(3) antagonist class of antiemetics. Ondansetron reduces nausea and vomiting induced by cytotoxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy and to prevent post-operative nausea and vomiting.

Ethypharm manufactures the product using its proprietary Flashtab orally disintegrating tablet technology.