Kedrion reinforces its presence in the United States. The company, based in Castelvecchio Pascoli (Lucca), acquired from Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. (OCD) the branch specialising in the production of human anti-D immunoglobulin, an effective product for the prevention of the “haemolytic disease of the newborn” (HDN), a condition that occurs in Rh-positive foetuses and new-born babies conceived by an Rh-negative mother and an Rh-positive father.
The medicinal product, in production since 1968, is extremely effective and relatively inexpensive. This immunoglobulin is used worldwide and has contributed to a dramatic reduction in HDN-related deaths in many countries and almost the total disappearance of HDN in developed countries.
The operations taken over from OCD will result in a further, remarkable rise in Kedrion’s activities abroad, especially in the United States. In the US, the Italian company already has a fractionation plant in Melville (New York), Kedrion Biopharma, which currently sells its products in the United States, and eight plasma collection centres. The company’s consolidated proceeds in the USA have consistently grown in the last few years, from about 3 million euros in 2005 to over 35 million euros in 2011.
Kedrion, which can rely on a network of sales offices in four continents, is working intensively in Hungary where in addition to a production site it has three plasma collection centres, and in Germany where it owns another three plasma collection centres.
Under the agreement with OCD, which has been licensed by the Italian and US antitrust authorities, Kedrion will acquire worldwide rights on the sales of the new product, as well as materials and the Somerset Laboratories, the Food and Drug Administration-approved donation centre of Williamsville, New York, which for over 30 years has been collecting plasma used in the production of human anti-D immunoglobulin.
In addition, under the terms of the agreement, production of human anti-D immunoglobulin will be relocated to Kedrion’s plants in Melville, USA, and Sant’Antimo (Naples), Italy in progressive steps.
“This agreement – commented Paolo Marcucci, President and CEO of Kedrion – is extremely important for our company: it will reinforce our presence in foreign markets and will enrich our catalogue through the acquisition of an extremely effective product, which over the years has become a strong international market leader. In addition, through this operation we will further strengthen our presence in the USA, a country where we have focused our growth and development plans over the last few years”.