Hutchmed Regulatory News (HCM)

19 May 2008 07:00



Hutchison China MediTech Limited ("Chi-Med")

(AIM: HCM)

Expansion of Consumer Products division

Sen launches in 125 Marionnaud beauty stores

London, Monday, 19 May 2008: Chi-Med, the Hutchison Whampoa backed pharmaceutical and healthcare Group, today announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, Sen Medicine Company (France) SARL ("Sen"), has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of Marionnaud Parfumeries SA ("Marionnaud") for the launch of its consumer products in France exclusively through Marionnaud's distribution network (the "Marionnaud Agreement"). Marionnaud will carry 34 of Sen's premium health and beauty products in 125 shops by the end of 2008. Marionnaud is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Limited, the ultimate holding company of Chi-Med.

This is the first major third party luxury retail chain expansion for Sen, which to date has sold its products through its own chain of seven central London shops as well as a number of selective third party luxury test outlets.

Traditional Chinese medicine ("TCM"), with its botanical origins, has a history centuries old and Chi-Med sees TCM as an untapped reservoir of potential new pharmaceutical treatments and consumer products. Its business is to apply state-of-the-art science to understanding the active components within TCM, in order to develop novel new drugs and treatments for the global pharmaceutical and consumer health and beauty markets.

Sen develops and markets a premium range of herbal tea, body care and skin care consumer products. Sales of these consumer products have grown rapidly - up 45% in 2007 - confirming the high levels of consumer interest, and the Marionnaud Agreement enables Sen to expand its customer reach far more rapidly than it could on its own.

  Mr. Christian Hogg, CEO of Chi-Med, said:

"Traditional Chinese medicine, and the botanical ingredients it uses, has widespread and powerful consumer appeal. Our job is to use the most modern science to identify active components within traditional Chinese medicine, and with Sen, to use that knowledge to bring to market exciting health and well-being products for today's consumers. 

We've tested our consumer products ranges in our own shops and will continue to expand our own network in central London. The Marionnaud Agreement, however, is not only a major endorsement from France's leading beauty retailer; it is a dramatic expansion of our reach and our brand. We are hopeful that we will be able in future years to extend Sen's presence across all of Marionnaud's more than 1,200 shops, and we see today's announcement as the first step in our global expansion programme for the Sen brand."

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About Chi-Med

Chi-Med is the holding company of a pharmaceutical and healthcare group focused on traditional Chinese medicine ("TCM") based primarily in China and was admitted to trading on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange in May 2006. Chi-Med operates three core business divisions: 1) China Healthcare - the manufacture, distribution and marketing of pharmaceuticals and health supplements in China; 2) Drug R&D - the discovery and global development of novel drug in the oncology and auto-immune therapeutic areas; and 3) Consumer Products - global retailing and distribution consumer health and personal care products derived from TCM and botanical ingredients.

Chi-Med is majority owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited, an international company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.