In2Focus steps up U.K. Pennsaid(R) promotion
TORONTO, March 8 /CNW/ - Dimethaid Research Inc. (TSX: DMX) announced
today that its specialist sales organization, In2Focus, has negotiated a Co-
Funding(TM) agreement with a major international pharmaceutical company. The
deal, which takes effect in April 2004, will result in expanding the
Pennsaid(R) sales force from 20 to 50 and significantly boosting promotion of
the company's anti-arthritic lotion throughout the United Kingdom.
Under the agreement, In2Focus will provide the increased support at no
additional cost to Dimethaid, other than a slight increase in promotional
spending. The expanded team will also detail a non-competing prescription
therapy for pulmonary disease. Pennsaid is approved in the U.K. as a treatment
for osteoarthritis symptoms in knees and superficial joints, and the two
products will be marketed to GPs serving similar patient age groups.
"Brokering such a relationship is an example of the added value we
provide," said In2Focus chairman, Stephen Kerridge. "Both clients come out
ahead, and Pennsaid sales efforts will increase 150 percent."
In2Focus provides services to a variety of industry leaders including
AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Eli Lilly and GlaxoSmithKline.
"Having made the initial product introductions, this extra sales power
becomes the next logical step in our long-range plans for taking Pennsaid to
optimum market penetration," said Kerridge.
Pennsaid's U.K. sales have grown by an average of more than 30 percent
per month since the product launched in October 2003. The topical treatment is
positioned to compete against oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in a
market estimated at around 356 million pounds sterling annually. |
