Agreement drives continued patient access to four important therapies in Japan and Korea

Strengthens Essential Pharma and Clinigen’s combined market presence in the JAPAC region

Egham, UK – 6th February 2025 – Essential Pharma (“Essential” or “the Company”), an international specialty pharma group focused on ensuring that patients have access to low volume, clinically differentiated, niche pharmaceutical products across key therapeutic areas, and Clinigen, the global specialty pharmaceutical services group, today announced an expansion of their JAPAC collaboration, aimed at driving continued patient access to four therapies in Japan and Korea, and strengthening their combined market presence in the region.

This expanded collaboration encompasses several new market authorisation transfer and exclusive distribution agreements. Building on their 2024 agreement for IOPIDINE® (apraclonidine) in Korea, Essential Pharma and Clinigen now extend this to Japan. New agreements establish market authorisation transfer and exclusive distribution for HALDOL® (haloperidol) and REMINYL® (galantamine) oral capsules in Korea, and for HALOMONTH® (haloperidol decanoate) in Japan.

IOPIDINE 5mg/ml is a short-term adjunctive therapy for patients with chronic glaucoma on maximally tolerated medical therapy to prevent or control intraocular pressure.

HALDOL and HALOMONTH are antipsychotic drugs that contain haloperidol and are used in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychiatric conditions including schizoaffective disorder. Haloperidol is included in the 2023 World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines¹.

REMINYL, a cholinesterase inhibitor, is a central nervous system (CNS) drug used to treat symptomatic mild to moderately severe dementia of the Alzheimer type.

Essential Pharma CEO Emma Johnson and Clinigen CEO Jerome Charton held a ceremonial signing event yesterday. While initially focused on ensuring continuity of patient access in the JAPAC region, both organisations envision further strategic partnering, supporting Essential Pharma's goal to build on its diversified portfolio and late-stage pipeline focused on central nervous system, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and rare disease, and leveraging Clinigen's rare disease and orphan drug expertise, to improve access to innovative medicines for patients globally.

Emma Johnson, CEO of Essential Pharma, says: “Essential Pharma is delighted to expand our relationship with Clinigen as we continue to execute our strategy to become a leading, global specialty pharma group with a growing rare disease presence. Clinigen’s expertise in providing access to established brands as well as their expertise in the rare disease and orphan drug space makes them the ideal partner as we broaden access to our therapies and reinforce our strategic foothold in JAPAC. Guided by our shared patient-centric values, this collaboration represents a significant step forward in our commitment to serving patients in the JAPAC region and beyond.”

Jerome Charton, CEO of Clinigen, says: “Our biggest achievements are marked by expanding patient access to much-needed medicines. While we are seeing the expansion of life sciences, R&D and clinical trials, population health is also becoming increasingly complex, and it is pertinent that patients do not feel the impact. With our trusted and equally motivated partner, Essential Pharma, Clinigen will further our mission to accelerate access to innovative medicines for patients worldwide.”

About Essential Pharma

Essential Pharma is an international specialty pharmaceutical group dedicated to maintaining access to clinically differentiated, niche, branded medicines across multiple therapeutic areas. The group has been an important and valued partner to healthcare providers for over 20 years by giving underserved patient populations access to medicines that otherwise might not be available, and addressing clinical unmet needs. Essential Pharma operates globally in more than 70 countries, supplying a portfolio of products with a focus on the central nervous system (CNS), gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and rare disease. The group’s growth strategy is centred on portfolio optimisation and a targeted M&A approach to acquire commercial and late-clinical stage assets in the four therapeutic areas of focus. It is a trusted partner to multiple pharma companies of all sizes, with a proven history of integrating assets and managing complex technology transfers seamlessly while ensuring continuous supply to patients.

For more information, please visit essentialpharmagroup.com.

About Clinigen 

Clinigen is a global, specialist pharmaceutical services company focused on providing ethical access to medicines. Its mission is to accelerate access to medicines for patients in every corner of the globe. The Group supports pharmaceutical and biotech companies across the medical product lifecycle, from clinical through to commercial and operates from sites in North America, Europe, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. Clinigen has more than 1,100 employees across five continents in 15 countries and provides access in more than 130 countries every year.

For more information, please visit www.clinigen.com.

CONTACTS

Essential Pharma

Emma Johnson, CEO

Tel: +44(0)1784 477 167

Email: info@essentialpharmaceuticals.com

ICR Healthcare

Tracy Cheung/Chris Welsh/Lucy Featherstone

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5700

Email: Essentialpharma@icrhealthcare.com

¹ https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/371090/WHO-MHP-HPS-EML-2023.02-eng.pdf