Corporate News: Information for private and institutional investors
- Sanochemia partner Orion Pharma reports launch in Germany
- Viveo® - an effective non-sedating therapeutic for muscle spasm
(Vienna, 22. 10. 2007) Sanochemia Pharmazeutika AG, Vienna, listed in the Prime Segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN AT0000776307), today announced the successful launch of its innovative tolperisone formulation that is being marketed in Germany by Orion Pharma under the brand name Viveo®.
Orion Pharma GmbH, based in Hamburg, is a subsidiary of the publicly traded Orion Corporation. Registered in Espoo, Finland, Orion Corporation is a research-oriented company active in the commercial areas of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Given its fast-growing distribution network in Europe, Orion Corporation has acquired the rights from Sanochemia to market tolperisone in Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia and the Baltic States.
Proven efficacy and a new formulation
Germany is the first market in which the muscle relaxant Viveo® (tolperisone) has been approved in the indication of spasticity associated with neurological disorders. Tolperisone has long been used therapeutically with its favourable efficacy and safety profiles having been established in numerous clinical trials. Viveo® represents a higher dosage tablet which more closely corresponds to patient needs. A single tablet contains 150mg of tolperisone, the recommended daily dosage of which is between 300 - 450mg. With Viveo®, it is therefore possible to reduce administration to a single tablet twice to three times per day rather than three tablets as was earlier the case. “This can lead to a significant improvement in day-to-day compliance,” says Prof. Reiner Benecke, Director of the Clinic for Neurology at the University of Rostock.
Spasticity treatment without sedation – favourable side effect profile
Spasticity, or muscular spasm, is a chronic, often painful, symptom which significantly compromises the quality of life of sufferers. The spasms are triggered by disorders and events associated with damage to the central nervous system such as Multiple Sclerosis or stroke. Viveo® (tolperisone) is now available as a medication-based therapy for muscular spasm. The active ingredient combines high efficacy with good levels of tolerance. In particular, it is the lack of sedating effects which will bring most benefits to patients in day-to-day life.
“In Germany, there are estimated to be between 150,000 and 200,000 patients suffering from muscular spasms as a result of neurological disorders,” said Prof. Michael Schwarz, Director of the Neurological Clinic at the Klinikum Dortmund, at the press conference held by Orion Pharma to coincide with the launch. There is an acute need for better tolerated, non-sedating, drugs for MS patients suffering from spasticity.
The active pharmaceutical ingredient tolperisone
Tolperisone forms a central element of Sanochemia’s business plans. The company has developed a novel production process that will form the basis for the end-to-end manufacturing of the drug at its facility in Neufeld, Austria. A European patent for this process has already been granted that is valid through 2022, with additional national patents still pending. In 2006, Sanochemia concluded an exclusive marketing and sales agreement with the US-based drugs company Avigen covering the US, Canada and Mexico.
About Orion Pharma
Orion Pharma is a research-oriented pharmaceutical company and a subsidiary of Orion Corporation with its head office in Espoo, Finland. Orion Pharma is internationally active in the distribution and sale of pharmaceuticals in over 100 countries. The company's main research focuses lies on medical treatment and prevention in the fields of neurology, orthopaedics, pneumology, gynaecology and pain management. The most important products in its portfolio are currently Stalevo®, Comtess®, Viveo® and CalciCare®-D3. The German subsidiary, Orion Pharma GmbH, with registered offices in Hamburg, was founded in 1991 and employs 130 personnel.
About Sanochemia
Sanochemia Pharmazeutika AG is a provider of specialty pharmaceuticals with in-house API development competence and pharmaceutical manufacturing capacities. The company’s main focus is on the fields of CNS, pain, oncological conditions and clinical diagnostics – indications and areas characterised by high degrees of therapeutic demand and urgent medical need for innovative drugs offering patients greater quality of life.
Sanochemia’s industrial strengths lie in the development of complex synthetic processes. The company is the exclusive supplier to Janssen-Cilag of synthetically manufactured galantamine – a substance used in a marketed Alzheimer’s drug. A topical form of galantamine is currently undergoing clinical trials in neuropathic pain. To find out more about Sanochemia, visit the company’s website at www.sanochemia.at.
For further information please contact:
Margarita Hoch
Investor Relations Tel.: + 43 / 1 / 3191456 - 335 Mobile: + 43 (0) 664 / 21 38 152
mailto: m.hoch(at)sanochemia.at
Sanochemia: Tolperisone / Viveo (R) launched
The sender takes full responsibility for the content of this news item. Content may include forward-looking statements which, at the time they were made, were based on expectations of future events. Readers are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements.
As a life sciences organization based in Vienna, would you like us to promote your news and events? If so, please send your contributions to news(at)lisavienna.at.