South African drugmaker buys thrombosis drugs from GSK for £700m

South African generics manufacturer Aspen has bought two heparin-derived thrombosis drugs from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The £700 million deal includes Arixtra (fondaparinux) and Fraxiparine (nadroparin), as well as a manufacturing site in Notre-Dame de Bondeville, France.

Earlier this year, Aspen agreed a similarly large deal with MSD, the European subsidiary of Merck & Co, for a bundle of other drug brands and a manufacturing site in the Netherlands, which also produces heparin-based ingredients. ‘This deal presents excellent synergistic opportunities for Aspen’s ongoing global expansion strategy,’ said Aspen’s chief executive Stephen Saad in a statement. Together, the two deals will allow the firm to ‘pursue a more vertically integrated supply chain for heparin based products’.

GSK will retain distribution rights for the two drugs in China, Pakistan and India.

Topics