Aspen, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck sales and marketing update

GlaxoSmithKline said it agreed to sell its injectable anticoagulants Fraxiparine nadroparin and Arixtra fondaparinux and the related manufacturing site in Notre-Dame de Bondeville, France, for £700 million ($1.1 billion) in cash to branded and generic drug supplier Aspen. Aspen will acquire global rights to the products, except in China, India and Pakistan. GSK will continue to market the products under license from Aspen in Indonesia. The pharma said the majority of commercial operations will transfer to Aspen by year end and that the rest, including the Notre-Dame de Bondeville site, will transfer in 1H14. GSK disclosed Aspen's offer to acquire the products in its 2Q13 earnings (see BioCentury, July 29).

GSK said 1H13 sales for the products in the territories included in the deal were £177 million ($269.3 million). GSK has rights to the products from Sanofi (Euronext:SAN; NYSE:SNY, Paris, France). Fraxiparine is low molecular weight heparin, and Arixtra is a synthetic Factor Xa inhibitor. ...