Sandoz acquires respiratory device company Coalesce

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Pic:getty/hiroshiwatanabe (Getty Images)

Novartis’ Sandoz has acquired UK-based medical and drug delivery device development company, Coalesce Product Development Limited.

The deal will help Sandoz build on its existing portfolio of respiratory medicines and further improve patient access to high-quality, complex therapies, according to the company.

Based in Cambridge, Coalesce was founded in 2009: and is developing a portfolio of novel inhalation devices. This includes new versions of pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDI), breath-actuated inhalers (BAI) and pre-metered dry powder inhalers (DPI).

Respiratory focus

Sandoz has set out respiratory as a key pillar of its long-term growth strategy and says it will continue to explore further opportunities in-house and externally. It currently has a portfolio of six in-market products and nearly twice that number in the pipeline. More generally, the company wants to grow its portfolio in the complex generics space, including complex injectables.

“Respiratory and complex generics are areas of relatively high unmet medical need, due largely to their comparatively high technical complexity,” said Sandoz CEO, Richard Saynor.

“At Sandoz, we have the experience and expertise to succeed in these fields and this acquisition offers us a significant new growth platform, particularly in the US and Europe, reinforcing our commitment to pioneer access for patients.”

Respiratory diseases are leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Asthma is a major non-communicable disease affecting both children and adults, and in 2019 it affected an estimated 262 million people, according to WHO figures. In the same year, about 3.23 million deaths were attributed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).