AFT announces Maxigesic IV(R) distribution agreement for nine

AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited,
Level 1, 129 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland 0622, New Zealand
Incorporated in New Zealand ARBN:
ARBN 609 017 969





24 Jan 2023
AFT announces Maxigesic IV® distribution agreement for nine countries
AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX.AFT, ASX.AFP) today announces it has signed an exclusive
licensing and distribution agreement for Maxigesic
®
IV, the intravenous form of its
patented pain relief medicine, for nine countries in Eastern Europe.

The agreement – with Slovenia’s Salus Pharmaceuticals – will see Maxigesic sold in
Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro
and Bosnia. Registrations are already held in Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Croatia and
Slovenia, where launches are planned for these countries during this year and
registration applications will be filed in the remainder.

The agreement follows hard on the heels of the launch of Maxigesic IV in two major
EU markets, France and Italy (with Germany’s Everpharm GmbH) in November.

Maxigesic IV (Paracetamol 1000mg + Ibuprofen 300mg solution for infusion) is a
patented intravenous formulation developed as a line extension to Maxigesic tablets,
for use post-operatively in hospitals and when patients cannot take a medicine orally.

A major Phase 3 clinical trial conducted in the USA found that Maxigesic IV provided
significantly better pain relief than either paracetamol (acetaminophen) IV or
ibuprofen IV alone in the same doses
1
. Further recently completed exposure trials
have demonstrated the drug’s efficacy and safety in an expanded population group
over a longer treatment period
2


AFT Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson said: “We are delighted
to have reached this agreement with Salus, which has significant operations in Central
and Eastern Europe”.



1
Daniels, S.E, Playne, R., Stanescu, I., Zhang, J., Gottlieb, I.J, Atkinson, H.C. (2019). Efficacy and safety of
an intravenous acetaminophen/ibuprofen fixed-dose combination after bunionectomy: A randomized,
double-blind, factorial, placebo- controlled trial. Clinical Therapeutics 41 (10): 1982-1995. Research
sponsored by AFT Pharmaceuticals.

2
Gottlieb IJ, Gilchrist N, Carson S, Stanescu I, Atkinson HC (2021). Extending the safety profile of the post-
operative administration of an intravenous acetaminophen/ibuprofen fixed dose combination: An open-
label, Multi-center, single arm, multiple dose study. Biomed & Pharmacother 139 111710. Research
sponsored by AFT Pharmaceuticals.

AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited,
Level 1, 129 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland 0622, New Zealand
Incorporated in New Zealand ARBN:
ARBN 609 017 969

“Indeed, the market for post-operative pain, which is a subset of Maxigesic’s total
addressable market, is growing rapidly and is forecast by independent market
research to reach US$553 million in 2028 across the 5 major markets of Europe (up from
US$178 million in 2019)
3
.

Žiga Hieng, CEO of Salus, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with AFT in 9
countries of the Balkan and Baltic regions. Adding Maxigesic IV formulation allows us
to offer a brand-new pain management solution for acute moderate pain that suffers
none of the drawbacks linked to opiate-based pain relief medicines. It is an exciting
opportunity.”

For and on behalf of AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited by Malcolm Tubby, Chief Financial
Officer.
For more information:
Dr Hartley Atkinson Richard Inder
Managing Director The Project
AFT Pharmaceuticals Tel: +64 21 645 643
Tel: +64 9488 0232

Released for and on behalf of AFT Pharmaceuticals by Malcolm Tubby, Chief Financial
Officer

About AFT Pharmaceuticals
AFT is a growing multinational pharmaceutical company that develops, markets and
distributes a broad portfolio of pharmaceutical products across a wide range of
therapeutic categories which are distributed across all major pharmaceutical
distribution channels: over the counter (OTC), prescription and hospital. Our product
portfolio comprises both proprietary and in-licensed products, and includes patented,
branded and generic drugs. Our business model is to develop and in-license products
for sale by our own dedicated sales teams in our home markets of Australia and New
Zealand and in certain Southeast Asian markets, and to out-license our products to
local licensees and distributors to the rest of the world. For more information:
aftpharm.com.

3
DelveInsight Report (2020). Postoperative Pain Market Insights, Epidemiology and Market Forecast—
2028. DelveInsight.