Merck sells Pakistan business

OBS Pakistan (Private) Limited will now market and sell MSD-branded medicines medicines

KARACHI: MSD, the parent company of Schering-Plough, has announced that it has sold its business in Pakistan to its existing partner, OBS Pakistan (Private) Limited.

As a result of the deal, OBS will now market and sell MSD-branded medicines under the existing arrangement as well as Schering-Plough-branded medicines in Pakistan.

Merck and Schering-Plough had merged in November 2009 and Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada.

“OBS Pakistan is a leading, locally-owned pharmaceutical company and MSD will continue this close and successful engagement with it,” said Craig Kelly, vice president, Asia Region, MSD.

“We see this as a natural progression of our business strategy, begun in 2008, to consolidate our business interests and to localise management of the product portfolio. We believe this will enable us to grow our business in Pakistan in the most optimal manner.”

Under the new arrangement, OBS will market and sell a combined portfolio of products in the therapeutic areas of cardiovascular, respiratory, infectious diseases, and women’s health.

According to Tarek Khan, chief executive of OBS Pakistan, both companies share the same vision, which includes respect for people, safety and sustainable operations, and maintaining a commitment to high standards of quality in addition to ensuring continuity of medicines to patients.

“We already have a successful track record of selling MSD products in Pakistan and the Schering-Plough brand franchise will be a natural extension of this partnership,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2010.