Merck & Co signs cooperation deal with Russia's Akrikhin

Russia’s Akrikhin this week signed an agreement on manufacturing and packaging with MSD, a unit of US drugs giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) in Russia, reports Sebastian Gensior writing on europe-health-care.eu. Under the terms of the agreement Akrikhin, using its manufacturing sites in Moscow, will produce six key MSD products, in different dosages and formulations, for the Russian market.

The MSD products manufactured at the Russian facilities are used for treating cardiovascular, dermatologic and allergenic diseases, as well as for anesthesia applications. The products encompass solid and liquid forms, creams, ointments and nasal sprays.

The agreement between the companies includes the transfer of technological processes to Akrikhin manufacturing facilities for local manufacturing. Initially, Akrikhin will engage in secondary packaging of MSD products, which they expect to produce by the end of 2012. In the future, the company plans to transfer production of tableted forms to full cycle mode. MSD will continue to be responsible for sales of its products in the Russian market.