Ahmedabad based pharma major Zydus Cadila has entered into an agreement with US based Amarillo Biosciences Inc(ABI to market ABI's dietary supplement Maxisal in India and Nepal.
Nasdaq listed ABI has informed the stock exchange in this regard. Maxisal enhances salivary function,promotes oral comfort and helps relieve dry mouth. Amarillo had initially launched Maxisal in the US market after clinical studies in subjects with gren's syndrome (characterised by dry eyes and dry mouth) found that the active ingredient in Maxisal significantly improved mouth comfort and decreased mouth and throat dryness.
Maxisal is marketed in Germany by ABI's licensee Egofocus OHG based in Darmstadt.
"Based on the favorable reception Maxisal has met in the US, which we attribute to the product's clinical benefits and reasonable cost, we fully expect that it will be successful in India. We are delighted that Zydus Cadila has agreed to market Maxisal and are hopeful that success in India and Nepal will lead them to expand Maxisal into some of the more than 50 other countries in which they currently market products," Joseph Cummins, President and CEO, ABI said in a statement. Pankaj Patel, chairman and managing director of Zydus Cadila was unavailable for a comment. Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. is a US based biotechnology firm operating in global partnership with the Hayashibara Group, which also holds 5.4 per cent of Amarillo Biosciences shares and has provided over $18 million in loans, grants and equity investments. Ahmedabad based Intas Pharmaceuticals Limited (Intas) had entered into a strategic partnership with Amarillo Biosciences, Inc (ABI) in December last year, whereby Intas will sponsor clinical trials of ABI's orally administered interferon-alpha lozenges for influenza, and could also be used in combating the H1N1 virus for swine flu. Intas will pay ABI a royalty on net sales after marketing approval is obtained in India.