Hikma announces new licensing agreement with Takeda

On Aug 18, 2017

Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC announces that through its wholly owned subsidiary Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC, it has agreed to expand its licensing and distribution agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda), a global, research and development-driven pharmaceutical company, adding new products to its portfolio in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Mazen Darwazah, Vice Chairman and CEO of MENA and Emerging Markets said, “Our large sales and marketing teams, with particular expertise in promoting cardiovascular and diabetes treatments, are well positioned to drive patient access for Takeda’s products. We are pleased to be building on our partnership with Takeda to bring important medicines to the MENA region. By working with global partners we are strengthening our product portfolio in growing therapeutic areas and reinforcing our commitment to improving patient access to quality medicines.”

Danilo Cassani, Vice President and Area Head Near East, Middle East & Africa added, “At Takeda, we put patients at the centre of everything we do. As such, our partnership with Hikma is a testament of our commitment to offer patients world-class cardiovascular and metabolism (CVM) medicines while keeping focus on our core therapeutic areas of oncology and gastroenterology. This will help better serve the unmet medical needs of patients.”

Under the terms of the agreement:

Hikma has been granted the exclusive rights to manufacture and commercialise three of Takeda’s leading primary care product families – Vipedia™ (alogliptin), including Vipdomet™ (alogliptin/metformin) and Incresync™ (alogliptin/pioglitazone) (anti-diabetic), Edarbi™ (azilsartan), including Edarbyclor™ (azilsartan/chlorothalidone) (anti-hypertensive) and Xefo™ (lornoxicam) in its rapid form (anti-inflammatory/ pain) – in its MENA markets
Hikma has also been granted the exclusive rights to manufacture and commercialise Takeda’s Dexilant™ (dexlansoprozole) (gastric acid secretion inhibitor) in its MENA markets, with the exception of Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt
Hikma’s existing license agreement with Takeda in respect of Xefo™ (lornoxicam) tablets (anti-inflammatory/ pain), has been expanded beyond Saudi Arabia and Jordan to cover Hikma’s other MENA markets

The new agreement builds on a long-standing strategic partnership between Hikma and Takeda. The relationship leverages Hikma’s substantial sales and manufacturing presence in MENA and extensive experience of building brands in the region.