AstraZeneca And MedPointe Agree To End U.S. Partnering Arrangement For ZOMIG� (zolmitriptan) Migraine Franchise
AstraZeneca to Resume U.S. Commercialization
Somerset, NJ – February 18, 2005 – MedPointe Inc., the specialty prescription
pharmaceuticals company, and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP, the U.S. subsidiary of global
pharmaceuticals firm, AstraZeneca plc (NYSE:AZN), will end on March 31, 2005 a CNS
partnering arrangement for ZOMIG� which was put in place in September, 2003. MedPointe
assumed full responsibility for all ZOMIG sales, sales transactions, marketing and distribution on
January 1, 2004. The AstraZeneca Group retained ownership of the ZOMIG brand and continued to
promote ZOMIG globally outside the U.S. In accordance with the termination provisions which
have been agreed by both parties, as of April 1, 2005, AstraZeneca will resume full responsibility
for the U.S. commercialization of ZOMIG, and MedPointe will no longer have responsibility for the
ZOMIG franchise. The MedPointe organization will work with AstraZeneca-U.S. to transition the
ZOMIG franchise to AstraZeneca-U.S. in an orderly and professional manner.
Jim Helm, Vice President, AZENITY Business Unit, AstraZeneca, commented, “MedPointe
has been instrumental in the launch of a new formulation, ZOMIG Nasal Spray, and we appreciate
their efforts to build the entire ZOMIG franchise in a particularly challenging market environment.
We wish the company well and anticipate a smooth transition of responsibilities to AstraZeneca-
U.S.”
Anthony H. Wild, Chairman and CEO of MedPointe, stated, “We are proud of our
commercial organization which has performed admirably during the course of this collaboration.
Returning the responsibility for marketing, selling and distributing ZOMIG to AstraZeneca-U.S. is
disappointing for MedPointe, however, we go forward with a strong, $200M-net sales, 650
employee organization. We are strategically well focused as we enter 2005. Our growth brands
continue to experience solid increases in sales and profitability, and our internal pipeline is making
progress.”
Under the terms of the partnering arrangement termination, MedPointe will cancel AstraZeneca�s
ten-year warrant to purchase 2,500,000 shares of MedPointe Common Stock.
Background
MedPointe Inc. is a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company located at 265
Davidson Avenue, Suite 300, Somerset, New Jersey, 08873-4120; 732-564-2200. Backed by private
equity investors, including The Carlyle Group and The Cypress Group, MedPointe specializes in
respiratory, allergy, central nervous system, cough/cold and pediatric products. The company
maintains a manufacturing facility in Decatur, IL. For more information on MedPointe, visit
www.medpointepharma.com.
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development,
manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It
is one of the world�s leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of over $21.4 billion
and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, oncology and
neuroscience products. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $9.6 billion healthcare business with
more than 12,000 employees. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global)
as well as the FTSE4Good Index. For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit
www.astrazeneca-us.com.
The ZOMIG� brand family is currently marketed in three dosage forms: ZOMIG�
(zolmitriptan) Tablets (5.0mg and 2.5mg), ZOMIG-ZMT� (zolmitriptan) Orally Disintegrating
Tablets (5.0mg and 2.5mg), and ZOMIG� Nasal Spray (zolmitriptan). All three of the ZOMIG�
dosage forms are indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults.
ZOMIG is not intended for the prophylactic therapy of migraine or for the use of the management
of hemiplegic or basilar migraine. ZOMIG should be not be taken by patients who have certain
types of heart disease or uncontrolled high blood pressure. Very rarely, some people without
recognized heart disease may have serious heart-related problems. The most common side effects
associated with taking oral ZOMIG include dizziness; tightness, pressure or pain in the neck, throat,
or jaw; fatigue; tingling sensations; drowsiness; and nausea.
Zomig� is a registered trademark of AstraZeneca plc.
For further information, contact:
John Hawkins
Executive Vice President
MedPointe, Inc.
732-564-2233
[email protected]
www.medpointepharma.com
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