Takeda Pharmaceuticals International has signed a framework agreement with US-based specialist healthcare firm Unipharm.
As per the terms of the agreement, Takeda holds an option to purchase various over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and food supplements such as Vitrum, Artra, and Melaxen from Unipharm.
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Expected to strategically boost Takeda’s OTC business in Russia, the acquired products will be primarily promoted and sold in this country.
The firm is reported to currently have a strong footprint for providing new and primary care medicines and OTC products to people and patients in Russia.
In the first half of the 2017 fiscal year, Takeda Russia recorded underlying revenue growth of more than 20%.
Takeda has made a payment of JPY16.2bn ($149m) as Unipharm achieved one of the pre-defined milestones.
Under the framework agreement, Takeda has already acquired certain brands within the Vitrum range of multivitamin products and expects to complete the remaining conditions of the deal during this year.
Takeda Emerging Markets business unit president Ricardo Marek said: “This agreement demonstrates Takeda’s commitment to better health for patients across emerging markets with a range of trusted and proven products.”
Takeda also partnered with another US-based firm Denali Therapeutics earlier this month under a strategic option and collaboration agreement for the development and commercialisation of up to three specified therapeutic candidates for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Each programme is set to leverage Denali’s ATV platform to enhance the exposure of biotherapeutic products in the brain.
