Amryt Pharma signs distribution agreement in middle east

Irish biopharmaceutical firm Amryt Pharma has signed a new distribution agreement, its fifth in recent months.

The company, which is focused on rare and orphan diseases, said it had further expanded its market coverage for Lojuxta with an exclusive distribution agreement for Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

The agreement is with Pharaon Healthcare-Droguerie Mercury SAL, one of the leading full-service distributors in the region.

The company estimates there are approximately 40 patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) in the states covered by this agreement, with Lebanon in particular having materially higher prevalence.

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Lojuxta is a therapy used to treat adult patients with HoFH, a rare, life-threatening, genetic cholesterol disorder.

Amryt Pharma chief executive Dr Joe Wiley said the agreement would help to ensure the company can respond effectively to physicians' requests.

“This is Amryt’s fifth new distribution agreement for Lojuxta in approximately three months, and we are delighted to be partnering with Pharaon Healthcare in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria,” he said.

“Pharaon Healthcare has an excellent footprint and many decades of experience in these markets, and this new agreement should help to ensure we can respond effectively to physicians’ requests regarding their patients suffering with HoFH.”

Meanwhile, the company also announced the appointment of Jordi Casals as the company’s head of Europe.

Mr Casals will be responsible for leading and further developing Amryt’s European operations, including product launches. His initial focus will be on the continuing sales growth of Lojuxta.

Mr Casals has more than 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Most recently, he worked for Aegerion Pharmaceuticals as a consultant, managing its commercial operations in the Iberia region.

Before that, he worked for eight years at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, latterly as vice president for commercial operations in Western Europe.

He has also held sales and marketing roles at Grifols SA, the European multinational pharmaceutical, and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Europe, the Japan-based pharmaceutical company.

He holds an MBA from UPC University, Barcelona, together with a pharmacy degree from Barcelona University.