- Agreement enables rapid, efficient and impactful expansion
to the primary care physician audience.
- HLS will continue to focus primarily on specialists while
Pfizer will focus primarily on primary care physicians.
- Pfizer is a well-respected partner with a shared passion for
innovation in Cardiology and a rich heritage in the space.
TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2021 /CNW/ - HLS Therapeutics Inc.
("HLS" or the "Company") (TSX: HLS), a pharmaceutical company
focusing on central nervous system ("CNS") and cardiovascular
markets, announces that effective August 13,
2021 it has entered into a promotional services agreement
(the "Agreement") with Pfizer Inc. ("Pfizer") for the promotion of
Vascepa in Canada. Vascepa is a
first-in-class treatment designed to reduce the risk of major
adverse cardiac events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial
infarction, non-fatal stroke, coronary revascularization or
hospitalization for unstable angina) in statin-treated
patients.
Under terms of the Agreement, Pfizer will deploy a team across
Canada to support education about
Vascepa with primary care physician ("PCP") groups. HLS's existing
salesforce of approximately 30 field personnel and support staff
will remain primarily focused on the specialist physician audience.
HLS will retain responsibility over Vascepa's commercialization and
will record all revenue related to Vascepa sales in Canada.
"We believe Vascepa has the potential to improve the lives of
the many Canadians suffering from, or at risk of, cardiovascular
disease and we look forward to collaborating with Pfizer to bring
this innovative therapy to those in need," said Gilbert Godin, CEO at HLS. "While our
cardiovascular sales team will continue to focus on specialists
such as cardiologists and endocrinologists, this partnership will
enable us to educate and efficiently expand interactions with a
general physician audience that is 3-4 times larger. Ultimately, we
believe this collaboration will benefit patients and physicians
while at the same time strengthening the economic potential for the
product and expanding the benefit to society."
"We look forward to building on the relationships HLS has
established since the product's launch and to applying our
experience in the cardiovascular market to educate primary care
physicians about this medication," said James Sage, North America Regional President of
Internal Medicine at Pfizer Inc. "Pfizer has a legacy in the area
of cardiovascular disease as well as a strong track record of
successful partnerships."
ABOUT VASCEPA
VASCEPA (icosapent ethyl) capsules are
the first-and-only prescription treatment comprised solely of the
active ingredient, icosapent ethyl, a unique form of
eicosapentaenoic acid. Vascepa, which is included in the Canadian
Cardiovascular Society's guidelines, was approved by Health Canada,
was added to Health Canada's Register of Innovative Drugs and
benefits from data protection for a term of eight years, as well as
being the subject of multiple issued and pending patents based on
its unique clinical profile. HLS in-licensed the exclusive rights
to Vascepa for the Canadian market from Amarin Corporation plc
(NASDAQ:AMRN).
ABOUT HLS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Formed in 2015, HLS is a
pharmaceutical company focused on the acquisition and
commercialization of late-stage development, commercial stage
promoted and established branded pharmaceutical products in the
North American markets. HLS's focus is on products targeting the
central nervous system and cardiovascular therapeutic areas. HLS's
management team is composed of seasoned pharmaceutical executives
with a strong track record of success in these therapeutic areas
and at managing products in each of these lifecycle stages. For
more information visit: www.hlstherapeutics.com
FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION
This release includes
forward-looking statements regarding HLS and its business. Such
statements are based on the current expectations and views of
future events of HLS's management. In some cases the
forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases
such as "may", "will", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "intend",
"potential", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms,
or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking
statements, including, among others, statements with respect to
HLS's pursuit of additional product and pipeline opportunities in
certain therapeutic markets, statements regarding growth
opportunities, expectations regarding financial performance, and
the NCIB and ASPP. The forward-looking events and circumstances
discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially
as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties
affecting HLS, including risks relating to the specialty
pharmaceutical industry, risks related to the regulatory approval
process, economic factors and many other factors beyond the control
of HLS. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature
are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which may cause HLS's actual
results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be
materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement
or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue
reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. A
discussion of the material risks and assumptions associated with
this release can be found in the Company's Annual Information Form
dated March 17, 2021 and Management's
Discussion and Analysis dated August 4, 2021, both of which
have been filed on SEDAR and can be accessed at www.sedar.com.
Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any
forward-looking statements or information. Except as required by
applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only
as of the date on which they are made and HLS undertakes no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events,
or otherwise.
SOURCE HLS Therapeutics Inc.