EXPANDING
GLOBAL
Vifor Pharma, the pharmaceuticals business of the Swiss Galenica Group is a market leader in several key areas relating to prescription and non-prescription products and services. Industry Europe looks at the latest from the company.
PRESENCE
V
ifor Pharma can trace its foundations back to a pharmacy in St Gallen, Switzerland, which was established by Conrad Ferdinand Hausmann in 1872. Hausmann’s interest in infusion products led to the development of many new preparations at that time and this subsequently resulted in the foundation of the ‘Hausmann Laboratories’ in St Gallen. By 1957 Galenica was involved in the production of hospital supplies and iron supplementation products. The success of this business prompted the acquisition of the manufacturing company Vifor Ltd and Cooper Ltd, both of which were active in the sale of hospital and pharmaceutical products. The acquisition of the Canadian pharmaceutical company Aspreva Pharmaceuti-
cals in 2008 and of OM Pharma in 2009 led to the creation of what is today a globally active, fully integrated and specialised company, Vifor Pharma Ltd, with a rapidly expanding range of products and projects. Today Vifor Pharma has two main areas of focus: iron deficiency anaemia, which is linked to a host of illnesses, and Consumer Healthcare (OTX and OTC products).
New partnerships Vifor Pharma is continuously forming new distribution agreements to expand its market outreach. In May 2012, for example, it signed an exclusive agreement with Debiopharm for the distribution and commercialisation of Pamorelin LA in Switzerland. This
is a drug treatment for prostate cancer and endometriosis in Switzerland. Josef Troxler, general manager of the Swiss affiliate of Vifor Pharma, said of the agreement: “With Debiopharm we have found a renowned Swiss partner. This move will enable us to provide patients and doctors with an innovative product in the areas of oncology and gynaecology.” In January this year Vifor Pharma expanded its distribution network even farther afield when it signed a distribution agreement with China Medical System Holdings Limited for the Vifor products Maltofer and Uro-Vaxom. The former is an oral iron supplement and the latter is for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections. The
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