Norgine and SpePharm Holding Enter Into Joint Venture

Amsterdam (ots/PRNewswire) -

Norgine BV (Amsterdam) and SpePharm Holding BV (Amsterdam)
announced today that they have concluded a broad collaboration
agreement under which the two companies have invested in a 50:50
joint venture, SpePharm AG, which has acquired the entire product
portfolio of SpePharm Holding, including Savene(R), MuGard(R),
Xerotin(R), PROther(R) and the Dantrium(R) brands. The new joint
venture will commercialise this entire product portfolio through
Norgine's pharmaceutical infrastructure, which spans all of the major
markets of Europe. SpePharm AG will seek to acquire further hospital
based products which will also be sold through Norgine's commercial
infrastructure. Financial terms were not disclosed.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121218/582961-a )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121218/582961-b )

As a consequence of the transactions, TVM Capital and Signet
Healthcare Partners announced that SpePharm has repaid all of its
existing debt facilities and the two firms have acquired all shares
previously owned by the debt providers.

Finally, Norgine BV has acquired the commercial subsidiaries of
SpePharm Holding BV in Italy, Germany, the Nordics and the UK. These
acquisitions will enable Norgine to enlarge its existing European
commercial infrastructure and to fully support the combined product
portfolio.

Commenting on the transactions, Peter Stein, Norgine's Chief
Executive noted that "SpePharm Holding has, over the past few years,
built an interesting portfolio of important hospital products.
Because of its more substantial infrastructure in Europe, Norgine
will be able to significantly increase the commercial support given
to these products while at the same time strengthening the promotion
of Norgine's existing products. We welcome those employees of
SpePharm group who are joining the Norgine group and we look forward
to working with our new partners to further develop the joint venture
through the addition of further hospital products in Europe."

Hubert Birner and James Gale, representing TVM Capital and Signet
Healthcare Partners, respectively, added "This transaction will
enable SpePharm's portfolio of hospital products to be more
effectively commercialised and distributed across the entire European
market. We are excited at the prospect of working with Norgine, a
leading European Specialty Pharmaceutical Company, to further expand
this portfolio of products."

About Norgine

Norgine is a successful, independent European specialty
pharmaceutical company that has been established for over 100 years
and has a presence in all major European markets. In 2011, Norgine's
net product sales were EUR246 million. The group employs over 1,000
people.

Norgine's focus is the development and marketing of pharmaceutical
products that address significant unmet clinical needs in therapeutic
areas such as gastroenterology, hepatology and supportive care.

The Company currently markets a range of products in its key
therapeutic areas including: MOVICOL(R) for the treatment of
constipation and faecal impaction, MOVIPREP(R) a bowel cleansing
preparation, KLEAN-PREP(R)* for large bowel preparation prior to
colonoscopy or surgery, XIFAXAN(R)* in the reduction of recurrence of
episodes of overt hepatic encephalopathy and the treatment of
traveller's diarrhoea and ORAMORPH(R)* for the treatment of moderate
to severe pain associated with cancer.

Norgine is active in research and development and currently has
products in various stages of clinical development. Norgine
manufactures most of its products in Hengoed, UK and Dreux, France.

For more information: http://www.norgine.com.

About SpePharm Holding BV

SpePharm Holding B.V., a Dutch company with its registered office
in Amsterdam, is a pan-European specialty pharmaceutical company
focused on acquiring, registering and marketing high medical value
specialty medicines essentially for the hospital market. Particular
areas of therapeutic interest are oncology, critical and supportive
care.

SpePharm Holding BV was founded in September 2006 by Jean-François
Labbé, a former top executive of Hoechst Marion Roussel and Parke
Davis, together with leading life science investment firms TVM
Capital and Signet Healthcare Partners (part of the Sanders Morris
Harris Group). For further information on SpePharm, see
http://www.spepharm.com .

* XIFAXAN is a registered trademark of Alfa Wasserman Hungary KFT,
licensed to the Norgine group of companies. Product under licence
from Alfa Wassermann. KLEAN PREP is a registered trademark of the
Helsinn Healthcare group, licensed to the Norgine group of companies.
ORAMORPH is a registered trademark of the Molteni Farmaceutici group,
licensed to the Norgine group of companies.

Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121218/582961-a

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121218/582961-b

ots Originaltext: Norgine
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Media contact: Julie Hornby Winfield, Global Corporate
Communications Manager, Phone: +44-1895-826600