BRIEF—BIAL strikes distribution deal for CEE countries

Portuguese drugmaker BIAL and Slovenia-based Medis Pharmaceutical Company have entered into an exclusive partnership on two central nervous system drugs.

These two medicines are BIAL's proprietary drugs, the epilepsy product Zebinix (eslicarbazepine acetate) and Ongentys (opicapone) for Parkinson’s disease.

The established partnership comprises exclusive distribution agreements for Zebinix in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and for Ongentys in 12 central and eastern European (CEE) countries, those being Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

António Portela, chief executive of BIAL, said: “We are pleased to have Medis as our new partner. We believe this partnership is another important step for the extensive commercialization of our innovative medicines. Medis shares our long-term vision and we look forward to bringing these important treatment options to patients in the CEE region.”

Martina Perharic, Medis’ chief executive, added: “In Medis, we are excited and proud to partner with BIAL and thus being able to provide two medicines which we firmly believe represent a much-needed relief to thousands of people in the region who suffer from Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.”