Johannesburg - Ascendis Health's Pharma division has been awarded a R350m state antibiotics tender.
The products will be distributed over a two year period. The tender covers specialist first generation molecules which are first line treatments used by the state to combat infections.
Ascendis will commence distribution towards the end of November 2015 in tandem with a national education programme regarding antibiotic stewardship. The programme is aimed at healthcare practitioners at government hospitals and clinics and will reinforce the judicial use of antibiotics to combat resistance.
The tender award will also allow economies of scale for the same products into the dispensing doctors market and allow Ascendis Health to further focus on accessibility and affordability of its generic products.
Dr Karsten Wellner, CEO of Ascendis Health, said the tender, as is a clear indication of the success of the group's integration strategies by unlocking value across the production and supply chain, allowing it to offer a growing range of products at competitive pricing.
The announcement follows hot on the heels of the acquisition by Ascendis of Spanish pharmaceutical group Famalider who specialises in the development and manufacture of generic pharmaceuticals, as well as the acquisition of 85 already MCC registered generics, that are currently not marketed, from Sandoz South Africa.