Daiichi Sankyo acquires Merck Serono’s cardio-metabolism sales force in Turkey

The agreement also includes the transfer of marketing-authorization for Concor, an anti-hypertensive medication, and Glucophage, a diabetes agent.

It is the second agreement that Daiichi Sankyo and Merck have reached in recent weeks. For Daiichi Sankyo, the strengthening of the Turkish organization represents another step in its European expansion strategy, which has primarily focused on Germany in the past.

Once approval has been granted by regulatory officials, Daiichi Sanyko is planning to introduce three new anti-hypertensive and anti-platelet products between 2009 and 2012 to the market in Europe and Turkey.

Ilker ozbay, managing director of Daiichi Sankyo Ilac Ticaret, said: “Thanks to these new employees and the acquisition of medications to treat hypertension and diabetes, we are approaching the critical mass needed to reach our company goals and to become one of the leading 15 pharmaceutical companies in Turkey by 2015.”