Pharmaceutical Major Lupin Ltd on Monday signed an agreement with Onset Dermatologics under which it will market the latter’s skin disease treatment medicine Locoid Lotion in the US market.
The strategic co-promotion agreement has been signed between the company, its US subsidiary, Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc and Onset Dermatologics, Lupin said in a statement.
Commenting on the development, Lupin Ltd CEO Vinita Gupta said: “We are very pleased with the addition of Locoid Lotion to our brand portfolio and are committed to bring meaningful products to the US paediatric community.”
While the company did not disclose the financial details, it said the agreement grants Lupin exclusive rights to promote Onset’s Locoid Lotion to paediatricians in the US.
Onset Dermatologics President Bob Moccia said: “This partnership will give paediatricians greater opportunity to utilise Locoid lotion in their patients while Onset maintains its focus on promoting Locoid to the dermatology community.” Locoid is the most highly prescribed mid-potency steroid brand in the US, Lupin said.
The medicine is a corticosteroid indicated for the topical treatment of mild to moderate Atopic Dermatitis (AD) in patients 3 months of age and older. AD is one of the most common skin disorders in young children and has a prevalence of 10 per cent to 20 per cent in the first decade of life.
It is a chronic illness that requires a multi-faceted treatment strategy in the setting of limited therapeutic options.
Quoting National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Lupin said AD, more commonly called eczema, affects 10 to 20 per cent of children in the US and direct health-care costs exceed $3 billion.
“The addition of Locoid Lotion will enable Lupin to strengthen its US Brand business and expand its product portfolio for the US Pediatrics segment,” Lupin said.
The company’s over 160 strong specialty salesforce will promote Locoid Lotion with Onset providing strategic marketing support thus creating an opportunity for incremental revenues with minimal additional sales or marketing expenses, it added.
Lupin’s current pediatric portfolio consists of Suprax and Alinia for oral suspension.