LONDON (Alliance News) - Hormonal disease-focused drug firm Diurnal Group said Wednesday it has signed two deals with UDG Healthcare PLC's businesses which it said "provide the foundation" for its Infacort product's supply chain.
Infacort is a hydrocortisone treatment designed for children suffering from adrenal insufficiency, otherwise known as Addison's disease. In December, Diurnal submitted its first market authoritsation application for Infacort to the European Medical Agency, and the group expects market authorisation in late 2017.
Pointing to its plan to market Infacort in major European territories, Diurnal said it has signed a service deal with FTSE 250 healthcare service provider UDG Healthcare's contract sales business Ashfield Healthcare to support it in building sales and medical infrastructure in Europe.
Diurnal said Ashfield over the next 12 months will look to establish a European network of medical liason staff to prepare Diurnal for the anticipated launch of Infacort in 2018.
Alongside this deal, Diurnal has signed an agreement with Sharp Packaging Services, also part of UDG, which it said should ensure its Infacort supply chain is managed by an "internationally recognised" business.
"We are confident that the agreements announced today with Ashfield and Sharp, both leading providers of outsourced commercialisation services to the pharmaceutical industry, will help ensure the prompt and effective market introduction of Infacort following its anticipated approval in Europe," said Diurnal CEO Martin Whitaker.
Shares in Diurnal were up 3.8% at 124.00 pence on Wednesday.
By Hannah Boland; hannahboland@alliancenews.com; @Hannaheboland
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