GSK acquires orlistat rights from Roche

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that it has acquired the exclusive rights to orlistat, an over-the-counter weight-loss treatment, for use in markets excluding the US and Japan.

Under the terms of the agreement, Roche will keep the global rights for the prescription form of the drug, which it markets as Xenical 120 mg.

Roche retains all worldwide rights for the prescription version of orlistat and continues to market it under the brand name Xenical 120 mg

John Clarke, president of GSK Consumer Healthcare, commented that this deal would strengthen the company’s portfolio in consumer healthcare and enable it to globalise its work relating to orlistsat.

Mr Clarke said: “This exclusive licence is also testament to GSK’s ability to successfully switch prescription medicines to over-the-counter status and collaborate well with our partners.”

He added that the combination of this agreement with its franchise operations in smoking control gave the firm an interest in two major consumer healthcare issues.

Additionally, the companies have also settled their arbitration procedures in connection to the co-marketing and licensing of carvediol, with Roche making a payment to GSK of an undisclosed figure.

Orlistat 60 mg capsules were recommended for over-the-counter use by the US Food and Drug Administration in January 2006.