Kyorin Pharma transfers Pekiron rights to Galderma

Japan’s Kyorin Holdings (TYO: 4569), through its Kyorin Pharmaceuticals subsidiary, aiming to concentrate on its core businesses, has concluded an asset transfer agreement with Switzerland-headquartered Galderma for the prescription topical anti-fungal Pekiron (amorolfine).

Kyorin Pharmaceutical obtained the marketing authorization license for the product in October 1993 and launched it in February 1994. In March 2002, the company concluded a sales right transfer agreement with Galderma’s subsidiary in Japan. The recent agreement signed by the two companies now transfers all Pekiron assets to Galderma, a 50:50 joint venture between Nestle and L'Oreal.

Pekiron cream 0.5% is currently co-marketed with Sato Seiyaku, and this arrangement will continue after the business transfer to Galderma. Kyorin Pharmaceutical has been pursuing the franchise customer strategy under which it focuses of the respiratory, otolaryngology and urology fields. “With the transfer of the business, we believe it can further focus on the strategic fields,” said Kyorin.