Perrigo has licensed the US rights to an over-the-counter version of Merck’s Nasonex mometasone furoate nasal spray, the company said. The company did not disclose the financial terms of the deal, which give Perrigo the right to seek regulatory approval, market, sell, and distribute the product.
Nasonex, which was approved by the FDA in 1997, is currently available by prescription. Both Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Apotex market generic versions of prescription Nasonex in the US.
Perrigo President and CEO Uwe Roehrhoff commented, “We are excited to enter into this agreement with Merck & Co, Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. This announcement exemplifies inorganic opportunities to expand the OTC self-care market while enhancing long-term growth in our US consumer business. Leveraging our innovative product development capabilities and efficient supply chain enables us to enhance our durable OTC portfolio by establishing a framework to actively participate in future switch opportunities. Perrigo is well positioned to provide quality affordable healthcare solutions to patients and families.”
Executive VP and President, Consumer Healthcare Americas, Jeff Needham said, “This product in-license is the first of its kind for Perrigo. As other similar products that have previously switched from prescription to OTC status, we are working diligently to bring this important product to consumers and customers more quickly than the average 5-year OTC switch timeframe. This strategic investment into the OTC category creates an innovative product offering for Perrigo. We expect to execute the Rx-OTC-switch, fully penetrate this market with a branded offering and provide a future store brand alternative.”
Read the Perrigo press release.
