APR and Labtec Enter into Licensing Deal with Abdi Ibrahim for Ondansetron Rapidfilm® in Turkey

APR and the leading pharmaceutical company in Turkey Abdi Ibrahim have entered into an exclusive license agreement for the promotion, distribution and marketing of Ondansetron Rapidfilm® in Turkey; terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"It is an honour to work with a dedicated and professional company like APR. Ondansetron Rapidfilm® with its unique delivery system will be part of Abdi Ibrahim's oncology portfolio and is in line with our overall aim to bring new treatment alternatives for the Turkish patients" said Matthias Heidt, Business Development Director of Abdi Ibrahim. "As Abdi Ibrahim has a successful track record collaborating with almost 40 Licensors worldwide, we are convinced that the current agreement with APR will be the initiation for another long-lasting partnership strengthening our supportive care line for cancer patients".

"We are very proud that the leading Turkish company Abdi Ibrahim will market our Ondansetron Rapidfilm® in Turkey" said Paolo Galfetti CEO of APR. "This is an additional confirmation of our ability to add value through innovation: the agreement executed with Abdi Ibrahim is the last important step of a successful history of development & licensing for Ondansetron Rapidfilm® in Europe and in the rest of the world; Ondansetron Rapidfilm® is now licensed in 38 countries in the world including Europe where the product is currently under registration".

Ondansetron Rapidfilm® is an innovative oral thin film formulation for the prevention of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with radiotherapy, and post-operative nausea and vomiting; registration approval in Europe is expected sometime in 2010.

Ondansetron Rapidfilm® consists of a thin film strip based on a water-soluble polymer. The film disintegrates rapidly within seconds in contact with water or saliva, releases the drug in the mouth and promotes gastrointestinal absorption. The Rapidfilm® dosage form was especially designed for high patient compliance.
The administration is easy. The patient does not have any swallowing difficulty. The fact that no water intake after administration is needed is very well accepted by patients with nausea. Ondansetron is by far the top selling in its class of drugs used in the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting both in the United States and in the Top 5 European countries (where Ondansetron accounts for 67% of the total 5-HT3 antagonists market).

Ondansetron Rapidfilm® is the first product of a more consistent pipeline of Rapidfilm® products in various stage of development including blockbuster molecules primarily targeting CNS indications like Donepezil and all based upon APR/Labtec's proprietary Rapidfilm® oral dosage form.

Founded in 1912, Abdi Ibrahim Pharmaceuticals is a family owned company headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, led by Pharmacist Mr. Nezih Barut in the third generation. Abdi 0brahim Pharmaceuticals is ranked among the Top 100 corporations worldwide and is heading the Turkish Market for more than 6 years in value with a market share of 7% and for more than 8 years in units as of year 2008. With an annual turnover of 850 mn USD and presence in CEE regions, Abdi Ibrahim is already active in all major pharmaceutical segments including CNS, Respiratory, Cardiology, Rheumatology, Gastroenterology and Ophthalmology by licensed-in products or own developed generic products. Oncology and Biotechnology is a key area of Abdi Ibrahim's pipeline focus, where the company intends to reach a major position in Turkey within the next 5 years.