Alliance Pharma plc (LON:APH) has extended its distribution agreement for pregnancy nausea treatment Diclectin to include France, Germany and Italy and other major European Union countries.
Alliance acquired UK rights to Diclectin in January 2015 from Canadian owner Duchesnay and this additional licence is the first since it strengthened its European distribution network with the acquisition of Sinclair Healthcare at the end nof last year.
Diclectin has been used by pregnant women in Canada for over 30 years and has been prescribed for more than 30 mln women.
The nine new European territories on average see 2.5mln pregnancies each year with approximately 70% of these women suffering nausea and vomiting, which in 30% of cases is classed as severe.
Alliance plans to launch Diclectin in the UK in the second half of 2017 with the new European territories to get the product around a year later.
John Dawson, Alliance Pharma's chief executive, said the new agreement highlighted the potential of its strengthened European distribution base following the Sinclair Healthcare acquisition.