Aspen Pharmacare Canada Inc. Completes Transfer of AstraZeneca's Anaesthetic Medicines Portfolio

TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - On Friday, August 18, 2017,  Aspen Pharmacare Canada Inc. officially completed the transfer of Canadian commercialisation rights associated with five of AstraZeneca's anaesthetic products, significantly expanding Aspen's product portfolio.  The products included in this transaction are:

• DIPRIVAN 1%® (propofol) – Short-acting intravenous sedative/anaesthetic for injection.
• NAROPIN® (ropivacaine hydrochloride) – Local anaesthesia solution for injection.
• SENSORCAINE® (bupivacaine hydrochloride) – Short-acting local or regional anaesthetic for injection.
• XYLOCAINE®/XYLOCARD® (lidocaine hydrochloride) – Local anaesthesia, solution for injection, formulations for topical anaesthesia and injectable anti-arrhythmic.
• EMLA CREAM®/EMLA PATCH ® (lidocaine + prilocaine) – Topical anaesthetic, cream and patch.

"The acquisition of the commercialisation rights for the AstraZeneca anaesthesia portfolio is an important strategic investment for Aspen Global Incorporated.  The addition of these products to the Aspen Canada portfolio significantly expands the product range we offer to the Canadian market," said Country Manager, Sylvain Desjeans.  "Aspen is committed to providing high quality medicines at prices that are competitive and represent fair value to the healthcare community and to patients.  The addition of the AstraZeneca family of anaesthesia products increases the value we are able to bring to the Canadian hospital marketplace in particular."

All marketing and commercialisation of the newly-acquired anaesthesia products will continue seamlessly through the efforts of the Aspen team, building on the strong anaesthesia heritage established by AstraZeneca.  The originator of these brands, AstraZeneca, will continue to manufacture these products for Aspen for the foreseeable future, ensuring product consistency for the marketplace.

About Aspen Pharmacare Canada:

Aspen Pharmacare Canada, an affiliate of Aspen Holdings, was founded in 2014 to offer the Aspen Group's expanding portfolio of pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare products to Canadians.  Today, Aspen Canada provides medicines in the following therapeutic areas:  thrombosis, oncology, anti-infectives, women's health, endocrinology and now, anaesthesia.

For more information visit: http://aspenpharma.ca/

About Aspen

Headquartered in South Africa, Aspen is a leading global player in specialty and generic pharmaceuticals with an extensive basket of products that provide treatment for a broad spectrum of acute and chronic conditions experienced through all stages of life.  Aspen continues to increase the number of lives benefitting from its products, reaching more than 150 countries and operating 26 manufacturing facilities across 18 sites.

For more information visit: http://www.aspenpharma.com/

Aspen Holdings is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Limited (share code: APN)

DIPRIVAN®, NAROPIN®, SENSORCAINE®, XYLOCAINE®, XYLOCARD®, and EMLA® are registered trademarks of the AstraZeneca group of companies.

SOURCE Aspen Canada