Pharmaceutical company Pharmaxis (ASX listed as PXS) today announced it has finalised a strategic marketing and sales service agreement for the commercialisation of Bronchitol for cystic fibrosis in Europe. Ahead of anticipated regulatory approval for Bronchitol, Pharmaxis has signed a six year agreement with the highly respected Quintiles organisation to support the launch and commercialisation of the product in Western Europe. Pharmaxis Acting Chief Executive Officer Gary Phillips said, “This important development means that Pharmaxis will move into the key European markets with a clear commercialisation plan. We will be bringing on board the European expertise and capabilities of a well recognised team of leaders in the field.

“Bronchitol is a new advance in the treatment of cystic fibrosis and it’s vital that we engage fully with the CF communities, healthcare professionals, funding bodies and governments across Europe as efficiently as possible. We have selected Quintiles to help manage market launch and accelerate product uptake because the local experience of the Quintiles organisation will allow rapid access to each of the individual country markets.” Quintiles is a global biopharmaceutical services company offering clinical, commercial, consulting and capital solutions. The Quintiles network employs 20,000 people across 60 countries.

Two completed Phase 3 clinical trials of Bronchitol have demonstrated early and sustained improvement in lung function in people with cystic fibrosis. The product has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the European Medicines Agency. Once approved, Pharmaxis plans to launch Bronchitol across Western Europe, initially in Germany and the UK in the first quarter of 2011. The Pharmaxis contract sales representatives will be supported and managed by the Quintiles organisation throughout Western Europe while
marketing and market support will be managed by the Pharmaxis office in the UK.

Quintiles will provide a broad range of commercial support for Bronchitol including development of the overall market access strategy, pricing and reimbursement, local market access, and recruitment and management of field‐based sales teams and product managers.

SOURCE: Pharmaxis Ltd, Sydney, Australia