• Berlin-Chemie AG has been granted exclusive rights to import, distribute, promote, market and sell AKYNZEO® and ONICIT® (ALOXI®) in Russia and CIS region from January 2020
• The two products will provide clinicians and patients with a comprehensive offering to manage chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

Lugano, Switzerland and Berlin, Germany, January 27, 2020: Helsinn Group (“Helsinn”), a Swiss pharmaceutical group focused on building quality cancer care products, has granted exclusive licensing rights to commercialize AKYNZEO^® and ONICIT^® (ALOXI^®) in Russia and the CIS region for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) to Berlin-Chemie AG (“Berlin-Chemie”), the German-based affiliate of the Menarini Group.

AKYNZEO^®, a fixed dose combination anti-emetic therapy targeting both critical pathways of acute and delayed CINV, was granted registration in Russia in October 2019 and the product will be launched in the country in 2020.

ONICIT^®, an anti-emetic for the prevention of CINV, was registered in Russia in 2011 and will be relaunched with AKYNZEO^®.

Besides Russia, the licensing agreements with Berlin-Chemie cover the following territories: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. AKYNZEO^® has obtained a registration in Ukraine and Kazakhstan while ALOXI^® holds a registration in Ukraine.

Under the terms of the agreements, Helsinn will retain all international development rights, including clinical development activities, and the supply of AKYNZEO^® and ONICIT/^®ALOXI^®. Berlin-Chemie will have the exclusive rights to promote, distribute and commercialize AKYNZEO^® and ONICIT^®/ALOXI^® in all countries of the assigned territories.

Riccardo Braglia, Helsinn Group Vice Chairman and CEO commented: “We’re delighted to have signed these agreements with Berlin-Chemie, which has established a strong presence and recognition in Russia and the CIS region. We look forward to being able to offer cancer patients greater choice for treating CINV, which remains a major issue during chemotherapy.”

“This is an important step for cancer patients across Russia and the CIS region. We look forward to working closely with Helsinn as we seek to launch AKYNZEO^® and re-launch ONICIT^® in the year ahead. We have been impressed by Helsinn’s commitment to the highest quality cancer care products and are pleased to extend our partnership with them.” said Michael Sirotovitch, COO of Berlin-Chemie AG.