ViroPharma to Join Aventis Pharmaceuticals in Promoting Allegra® (fexofenadine HCI) and Nasacort®AQ (triamcinolone acetonide)

18-Dec-2001

ViroPharma Incorporated (Nasdaq: VPHM) and Aventis Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. pharmaceutical company of Aventis Pharma AG, today announced that the ViroPharma sales force will join Aventis to promote products from the Allegra® family and Nasacort® AQ to primary care physicians throughout the United States beginning January 2002.

In September 2001, Aventis and ViroPharma signed an agreement involving the co-development and co-promotion of Picovir? (pleconaril) in the United States. As part of that agreement, ViroPharma will receive detailing fees from Aventis for calls promoting these two products from Aventis? respiratory franchise. If Picovir? is approved, then the ViroPharma sales force will co-promote Picovir, as well as one of Aventis? products.

By promoting two of Aventis? top products, ViroPharma expects that its sales force will leverage the respiratory expertise and experience of the Aventis sales force, and ViroPharma will begin to establish itself in the primary care marketplace, an important customer base for the launch of Picovir?. Also, ViroPharma should substantially defray its sales promotion costs while promoting Aventis? products. Since the agreement was executed, ViroPharma has been hiring the initial segment of its sales force and building the infrastructure required to support that organization. As a result, ViroPharma expects to incur significant sales and marketing expenses in the fourth quarter of this year, including one-time start-up costs and other initial nonreimbursed investments.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/6723/viropharma-to-join-aventis-pharmaceuticals-in-promoting-allegra-fexofenadine-hci-and-nasacortaq-triamcinolone-acetonide.html