By Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterLotus Pharmaceutical Co (美時製藥) yesterday said it has signed an exclusive marketing agreement with Finland-based Orion Oyj for the distribution of its drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease in select Asian markets. The company is also to sell Orion’s Comtan, another drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease, in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and South Korea, it added. According to the agreement signed by Orion and Lotus, Orion would be responsible for manufacturing the products and the agreement would be in effect for five years following the first commercial sales. Lotus expects sales of Stalevo to boost its revenue in the next few years, given the huge market for Parkinson’s treatment, Chen said. Lotus sees Roche’s Madopar as Stalevo’s biggest rival in those Asian markets, but is not concerned about competition from generic drugs as many doctors and patients prefer branded drugs, she said.
