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The Iceland based generic pharmaceutical company, Actavis, recently announced that its third-party sales division, Medis, has delivered around 30 million tablets of Atorvastatin to its clients in Spain. This is the first generic version of the blockbuster molecule to reach the Spanish market.

Atorvastatin efficiently regulates the blood cholesterol levels and is one of the most effective drugs used in the therapy of primary hypercholesterolemia. Read more…

Actavis Group is pleased to announce that Clamelle Azithromycin 500mg Tablets and Clamelle Chlamydia Test Kits are now available for pharmacy distribution in the UK.

Clamelle Chlamydia Service

The Clamelle Chlamydia Service is a private service that is paid for by the consumer. It consists of the Clamelle Chlamydia Test Kit and Clamelle Azithromycin 500mg Tablets. The Clamelle test kit is purchased in a UK pharmacy, a urine sample posted off by the consumer to the laboratory and the result can be sent to the consumer by post or obtained from the pharmacy. If a confirmed positive test is received and if the treatment is deemed appropriate, following a sexual health consultation with the pharmacist, Clamelle Azithromycin 500mg Tablets can be supplied.

The Clamelle Chlamydia service is run jointly by Actavis, the NPA and Gordon Laboratory Group (GLG), a private laboratory which carries out the gold standard Nucleic Acid Amplification Technique (NAAT) testing, manages the test results and the Clamelle customer database.

Clamelle Chlamydia Test Kit and Tablets can only be sold by pharmacies that have registered with the NPA for the Clamelle Chlamydia service, obtained the NPA chlamydia resource pack and registered with GLG. Since the NPA launched the service three months ago, over 7,500 pharmacies have registered with the NPA and received the chlamydia resource pack. Read more…

Actavis announced a preliminary agreement with ASKA Pharmaceutical concerning the establishment of a joint company: Actavis ASKA Co., Ltd. – planning to enter the Japanese generic pharmaceutical market in April 2009.

Actavis will hold 45% of shares in the joint venture; ASKA 55%

Strategic Rationale

Japanese government policy requires an increase in the generic share of the total pharma market (in volume) so that this share grows to more than 30% by 2012. Measures – for example, the re-amendment of the prescription form in April 2008 – are being taken to facilitate this policy objective and, therefore, increase the usage of generic products.

Through this business alliance, ASKA will have the ability to enter the market with the benefit of Actavis’ product portfolio and in addition will have the possibility of exploring the export potential for its new products and value-added formulations via Actavis’ global marketing channels.

Actavis has the opportunity to enter the Japanese market and utilize its wide product portfolio, both existing and in the pipeline, in co-operation with an experienced and resourceful partner.

Takashi Yamaguchi, CEO, ASKA Pharmaceutical:

“This business alliance will enable ASKA to combine the benefits of its expertise in developing and marketing pharmaceutical products in Japan with Actavis’ broad range of products marketed globally. Thus, the new joint company will be able to maximize the different and complementary strengths of its founders, and will aim to become a leading company in the Japanese generic products’ market.”

Sigurdur Oli Olafsson, CEO, Actavis Group:

“This is an excellent opportunity for Actavis to enter the Japanese market – the second biggest pharmaceutical market in the world. The government’s policy to increase the share of generics during the next few years is key to our decision to enter the Japanese market at this time. We are very much looking forward to a long and successful partnership with ASKA, a strong partner with an excellent local network.”

About Actavis

Actavis is one of the world’s leading generic pharmaceutical companies specializing in the development, manufacture and sale of generic pharmaceuticals. The company has operations in 40 countries, with 11,000 employees. Further information about Actavis can be found on the corporate website: www.actavis.com.

About ASKA

Located in Tokyo, Japan, ASKA Pharmaceutical is a research and development (R&D) oriented company, which contributes to society by developing and providing innovative pharmaceutical products, concentrating its management resources to the specific therapeutic areas. Additional information about ASKA, is available through its corporate website, http://www.aska-pharma.co.jp/english.

Summary of joint company
Name: Actavis ASKA Co., Ltd.
Head Office: Tokyo
Capital: 200 million Yen (planned)
Investment ratio: ASKA: 55%, Actavis: 45%

Establishment: April 2009 (planned)

Enquiries
Actavis Group
Hjördís Árnadóttir
Director – External Communications
Tel: (+354) 535 2300 / 840 7476

E-mail: harnadottir@actavis.com

Any statements contained in this press release that refer to Actavis’ estimated or anticipated future results or future activities are forward-looking statements which reflect the Company’s current analysis of existing trends, information and plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially depending on factors such as the availability of resources, the timing and effect of regulatory actions, the success of new products, the strength of competition, the success of research and development issues, unexpected contract breaches or terminations, exposure to product liability and other lawsuits, the effect of currency fluctuations and other factors.