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December 17th, 2004

Octapharma Enters the Australian Market


Octapharma’s newly established subsidiary in Australia announced this week that it received regulatory approval for Octagam®, Octapharma’s fourth generation, intravenous immunoglobulin.

The National Blood Authority in Australia announced the agreement today ,(PDF of press release) as part of their plan to ensure that states and territories do not suffer shortages of key plasma derived products due to short term demand increases (not always met under the current self sufficiency arrangements with the local fractionator).

The approval of Octagam in Australia, provides patients and clinicians with a highly tolerable, ready to use, liquid, double virus inactivated, room temperature stable IVIG. Octagam has been a market leader in Europe for more than 10 years, and is licensed in more than 50 countries world-wide, including the USA.

Entry into the Australian market is a significant strategic milestone for Octapharma as it means that the company is now active in every continent of the world.

Frederic Marguerre, Area Manager of Octapharma AG (Asia Pacific, Africa & Middle East) & Director of Octapharma Australia Pty Ltd, says “Octapharma is committed to Australia and to developing productive long-term relationships with the Australian Red Cross and the Regulatory Authorities.  Historically a monopolistic situation has existed in Australia which has limited the therapeutic options available.  Finally, Australian physicians and their patients now have a choice of IVIG preparations and can look forward to the near-term introduction of other state-of-the-art plasma derived products.”
Octapharma plans to offer its full range of life-saving products in Australia , including therapies for the treatment of coagulation disorders including haemophilia A, B and von Willebrand disease (VWD).  Octapharma hopes to introduce at least 2 new products each year for the next 5 years.  Other products from Octapharma’s exciting R&D portfolio will also be submitted for approval in Australia, once clinical trials have been completed.

Increased competition will benefit not only physicians and patients with the ensured supply, choice of products, and increased attention to customer service, but also the Australian government, who now has the opportunity to maximize the benefits of increased competition by re-evaluating existing agreements for self sufficiency.  Octapharma has more than 16 years experience in successful self sufficiency projects with countries as diverse as: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Estland, Germany , Norway, Slovenia, Mexico and France. 

The National Blood Authority already expects to realize significant savings with the introduction of competitor products via the new national “Standing Order arrangements” as opposed to the previous ad hoc purchases of overseas plasma products by individual states and territories.   However, this is only the beginning of possible benefits they may expect to see.

The Australian regulatory authorities have approved Octagam for the following indications:

  • Primary Immunodeficiency
  • Myeloma or Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia with severe secondary hypogammaglobulinaemia and recurrent infections
  • Children with congenital acquired Immune Deficiency syndrome with repeated bacterial infections
  • Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
  • Guillain Barré Syndrome
  • Kawasaki Disease
  • Allergenic bone marrow transplant

For more information about Octagam, visit the Octagam product page.

Related Stories
May 24, 2004
Octagam receives FDA approval

May 11, 2004
New Study Confirms Efficacy & Safety of Octagam

For further information about Octapharma’s plans
in Australia please contact us.

Octapharma Australia Pty Ltd
c/o Clifford Hallam Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd
30-34 Eva Street
Roselands N.S.W. 2196 Australia


© Octapharma AG, 2004