INDONESIA'S KALBE FARMA IN ALOXI DEAL WITH SWITZERLAND'S HELSINN

Swiss drugmaker has signed an exclusive license and distribution agreement with Indonesian drug producer Kalbe Farma for its Aloxi (Palonosetron hydrochloride) product. The drug is a novel 5-HT3 antagonist indicated for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing moderate to highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Sales in the US are expected to total some US$150mn by year-end 2005, and the drug was recently approved in Europe as a preferred treatment for the condition.

The agreement will be a boost for Kalbe Farma, which makes a variety of OTC medicines and prescription drugs, as well as offering contract manufacturing operations. The addition of a chemotherapy treatment is likely to boost the company's high-end product offering, in a local sector mainly focused on production of cheap generic drugs.