Akrikhin expands deal with Merck & Co

Leading Russian drugmaker Akrikhin says it has expanded its partnership with US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) within the scope of Merck’s product manufacturing localization strategy in Russia.

Last year, the companies signed an agreement on the production of six key Merck brands in various pharmaceutical forms and dosages at Akrikhin manufacturing site, used for treating cardiovascular, dermatologic and allergenic diseases, as well as for anesthesia applications (The Pharma Letter July 12, 2012). Now, as the second wave of the contract, Akrikhin will start to manufacture five additional Merck brands important for local health care system.

Akrikhin’s manufacturing site will be dedicated to the release of Merck’s drugs for type 2 diabetes mellitus (sitagliptin, Januvia: sitagliptin + metformin, Janumet), bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis (montelukast, Singulair), invasive mycoses (posaconazole, Noxafil) as well as the hypolipidemic drug (ezetimibe, Ezetrol). Several product dosages and different pharmaceutical forms (tablets and suspension) will be manufactured.