Vifor Pharma Expands ESA Product Portfolio With Rights To Commercialise Pfizer's Proposed Epoetin Alfa Biosimilar, Retacrit, In The US Dialysis Market

Vifor Pharma, a company of the Galenica group, has further expanded its Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agent (ESA) portfolio with the licensing of commercialisation rights in the US dialysis market to Pfizer’s Retacrit, a proposed biosimilar epoetin, in the field of nephrology.

Hospira, a Pfizer company, submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Retacrit in December 2014. Retacrit is under review for the treatment of anaemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), renal failure as well as chemotherapy-induced anaemia. With access to Retacrit, once approved, Vifor Pharma will be positioned to also offer a short-acting ESA to the US dialysis market.

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Vifor Pharma
Vifor Pharma, a company of the Galenica Group, is a world leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products for the treatment of iron deficiency. The company also offers a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines as well as over-the-counter (OTC) products. Vifor Pharma, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, has an increasingly global presence and a broad network of affiliates and partners around the world.

About Galenica
Galenica is a diversified Group active throughout the healthcare market which, among other activities, develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products, runs pharmacies, provides logistical and database services and sets up networks. With its two Business units Vifor Pharma and Galenica Santé, the Galenica Group enjoys a leading position in all its core business activities. A large part of the Group’s income is generated by international operations. For more information, visit www.viforpharma.com and www.galenica.com.

About Pfizer Inc.: Working together for a healthier world
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of healthcare products. Our global portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world's best-known consumer healthcare products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. For more information, visit www.pfizer.com.