Australian biopharmaceutical company Starpharma has secured a sales and distribution agreement for its VivaGel BV product in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Signed with Middle Eastern company ITROM Pharmaceutical Group, the agreement enables the distribution of VivaGel BV products in 13 countries across the MENA region, where there is a significant need for new effective therapeutic solutions to bacterial vaginosis (BV).
VivaGel BV is a novel, non-antibiotic vaginal gel developed by Starpharma to treat bacterial vaginosis, the most common vaginal condition affecting women ages 15 to 44.
The product is registered in more than 55 countries, including the UK, Europe, Asia, MENA, Australia, and New Zealand, for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis and prevention of recurrent BV.
The sales and distribution agreement with ITROM has an initial seven-year term and covers the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria.
Under the agreement, Starpharma will manufacture and supply VivaGel BV while ITROM will handle the sales, distribution and marketing in the MENA region.
The agreement includes performance obligations and customary termination provisions for sales and distribution agreements.
Established in 1998, ITROM boasts a strong presence throughout MENA’s public and private health sector, maintaining strong relationships with the region’s key opinion leaders, specialist physicians, hospital chains, and retail outlets.
“The ITROM Pharmaceutical Group specialises in commercialising new products in the Middle East and North Africa markets. In this region, the relatively high prevalence of BV among the female population represents a high unmet need. We are pleased to have signed a sales and distribution agreement with ITROM, who have shown great enthusiasm for bringing the product to market quickly and with strong support,” said Cheryl Maley, CEO of Starpharma.
“Starpharma’s novel VivaGel® BV is an excellent product that offers women a unique, non-antibiotic solution for the treatment and prevention of recurrent bacterial vaginosis, particularly those seeking a safe and effective alternative to antibiotics,” said Dr Ismail Soboh, CEO of ITROM Pharmaceutical Group.
“We are excited to add this product to our portfolio and look forward to launching it across the MENA region. We believe that VivaGel® BV has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of women struggling with bacterial vaginosis, and we are excited to be part of this journey,” Soboh added.
Starpharma’s partnership with ITROM follows the recent reversion of VivaGel BV rights to Starpharma under a settlement agreement with Mundipharma, which was announced in the second half of 2023.
