Amryt Pharma signs deal for drug distribution in Switzerland

Lojuxta deal is ‘key step’ in growing company’s business for drug in EMEA region

Photograph: iStock
Photograph: iStock

Irish biopharmaceutical firm Amryt Pharma has signed an agreement to distribute its Lojuxta drug in Switzerland.

The company, which focuses on rare diseases, said the deal with RCC Pharma was a key step in growing its business for the drug, which treats Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia. The disease impairs the body’s ability to remove LDL cholesterol from the blood, and leads to narrowing and blocking of blood vessels. If left untreated, it can lead to heart attack or sudden death in childhood or early adulthood.

Amryt has the licence to sell Lojuxta for adults, across the European Economic Area, Middle East and North Africa, Turkey and Israel.

The company said there were about 15 patients in Switzerland with the condition and the distribution deal would allow it to respond more effectively to requests from clinicians looking to gain access to the drug.

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"This new distribution agreement with RCC marks another key step as we expand our footprint for Lojuxta across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa," said chief executive Dr Joe Wiley. "RCC is a leading Swiss company with particular expertise in rare diseases, and this agreement will help us to bring Lojuxta to patients suffering from HoFH in Switzerland."

Amryt also recently signed a deal for the distribution of its products in Saudi Arabia.

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist