AstraZeneca agrees to sell US rights for Entocort drug to Perrigo

The sale is part of the company plan to focus on three main therapy areas and the company said that Entocort is outside its focus area.

Entocort had US sales of $89m in the first nine months of 2015. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The deal does not include the transfer of any AstraZeneca employees or plants.

In capsule formulation, Entocort is a first-line therapy indicated for the induction and maintenance of clinical remission of mild to moderate active Crohn’s disease featuring the ileum and/or the ascending colon.

As an enema, Entocort is indicated to induct and maintain clinical remission of distal ulcerative colitis in the rectum, sigmoid colon and descending colon.

Earlier this year, AstraZeneca divested global rights to Entocort outside the US to Tillotts Pharma, part of the Zeria Group.

AstraZeneca executive vice president of global product and portfolio strategy Luke Miels said: "Our agreement with Perrigo completes the global divestment of Entocort, emphasising our strategic focus on three main therapy areas and providing further simplification of our supply chain."

Perrigo chairman, president and CEO Joseph Papa said: "The addition of Entocort represents a strong strategic fit with our portfolio of prescription medicines.

"It supports our commitment to providing effective, affordable treatments to patients with gastroenterological conditions and we look forward to building on the brand’s success in the US market."