Chippenham, UK – 28 February 2014: Vectura Group plc (LSE: VEC; “Vectura” or “the Company”) confirms that our partner, Sandoz, has received South Korean marketing authorisation for AirFluSal® Forspiro® (formerly known as VR315), an innovative new inhaler for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), making it the first approval in Asia.
The product was first approved in Denmark on December 18th, 2013, with subsequent approvals in Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria and the product has now been launched in Denmark and Germany. The new product offers the proven combination of salmeterol (a long-acting inhaled ß2-agonist) and fluticasone (an inhaled corticosteroid) in an innovative inhalation device.
- Visual control features which help reassure the patient about dosing
- Simple lever arm to load the dose
- Clear and accurate dose counter
Vectura initially developed the VR315 product and created the design of the innovative inhaler, before licensing the asset to Sandoz in 2006. It was subsequently developed in collaboration with Vectura as AirFluSal® Forspiro® by Aeropharm GmbH in Rudolstadt, Germany, Sandoz’ global respiratory Center of Excellence. The innovative and intuitive to use design of the inhaler was awarded the Red Dot Product Design award in 2011, an internationally recognised quality seal awarded by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany. It is displayed in design museums in Essen and Singapore.
South Korea has approved the 50µg-250µg and 50µg-500µg dosage forms for the continuous treatment of patients above 12 years of age with persistent asthma or for symptomatic treatment of COPD.
Enquiries
Vectura Group plc +44 (0)1249 667700
Karl Keegan, Corporate Development Director
Fleur Wood, Corporate Investor Relations
FTI Consulting +44 (0)20 7831 3113
John Dineen / Ben Atwell
About Vectura
Vectura Group plc and its subsidiaries (“Vectura” or the “Group”) is a product development company that focuses on the development of pharmaceutical therapies for the treatment of airways-related diseases. This growing market includes asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is estimated to be worth in excess of $30 billion worldwide.
Vectura has eight products marketed by its partners and a portfolio of drugs in clinical development, a number of which have been licensed to major pharmaceutical companies. Vectura has development collaborations and licence agreements with several pharmaceutical companies, including Novartis, Sandoz (the generics arm of Novartis), Baxter, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), UCB and Tianjin King York Group Company Limited (KingYork).
Vectura seeks to develop certain programmes itself where this will optimise value. Vectura’s formulation and inhalation technologies are available to other pharmaceutical companies on an out-licensing basis where this complements Vectura’s business strategy. For further information, please visit Vectura’s website at www.vectura.com.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the discovery, development and commercialisation of products. Various risks may cause Vectura’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including: adverse results in clinical development programmes; failure to obtain patent protection for inventions; commercial limitations imposed by patents owned or controlled by third parties; dependence upon strategic alliance partners to develop and commercialise products and services; difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals to market products and services resulting from development efforts; the requirement for substantial funding to conduct research and development and to expand commercialisation activities; and product initiatives by competitors. As a result of these factors, prospective investors are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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