Capsaicin

AACHEN, Germany and VICTORIA, Australia, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Grünenthal, a global leader in pain management and related diseases, and Clinect Pty Ltd ("Clinect"), an Australian based company focussed on supporting access to unique products, announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Clinect will have the exclusive Australian rights to Qutenza®, a topical, non-systemic, non-opioid patch indicated for the management of peripheral neuropathic pain. Under the agreement, Clinect will be responsible for obtaining marketing authorisation for Qutenza® in Australia and, upon approval, marketing and distributing the product in Australia. "We firmly believe in the benefits that this non-opioid treatment option can provide to people suffering from peripheral neuropathic pain and continue to work on expanding its footprint to reach more patients worldwide," says Jan Adams, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Grünenthal. "Clinect is an experienced specialist with a strong presence in Australia, and I look forward to joining forces with their team to bring our brand to Australia, a major market of the Asia-Pacific region." "We value the opportunity to work alongside Grünenthal, a global leader in pain management, to introduce Qutenza® to the Australian market," said Merryn Wallace, General Manager at Clinect. "This agreement reflects our shared commitment to improving patient outcomes and aligns with Clinect's strategy of partnering with companies who bring truly differentiated therapies to our region." Grünenthal acquired the global rights to Qutenza® in 2018 as part of its M&A-driven growth strategy. Since 2017, the company has invested more than €2.3 billion in successful M&A transactions, diversifying its portfolio, enhancing its profitability, and driving business growth. Grünenthal continues to expand the footprint of the acquired brands and to create synergies throughout Grünenthal's infrastructure, including manufacturing, supply, logistics, and commercial activities. About Qutenza ® In Europe, Qutenza is indicated for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain in adults, either alone or in combination with other medicinal products for the treatment of pain. For further information, please visit . Qutenza (capsaicin) 8% topical system is approved in the US for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia and for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) of the feet in adults. Important US safety information is available at . About Grünenthal Grünenthal is a global leader in pain management and related diseases. As a science-based, fully integrated pharmaceutical company, we have a long track record of bringing innovative treatments and state-of-the-art technologies to patients worldwide. Our purpose is to change lives for the better – and innovation is our passion. We focus all our activities and efforts on working towards our vision of a World Free of Pain. Grünenthal is headquartered in Aachen, Germany, and has affiliates in 28 countries across Europe, Latin America, and the U.S. Our products are available in approx. 100 countries. In 2024, Grünenthal employed around 4,300 people and achieved revenues of €1.8 billion. More information: Follow us on: LinkedIn: Grunenthal Group | Instagram: grunenthal About Clinect Clinect is part of the EBOS Group the largest and most diversified Australasian marketer, wholesaler and distributor of healthcare, medical and pharmaceutical products. Clinect supports patients in Australia and New Zealand with established and innovative products via strategic partnering relationships. Clinect together with its affiliates, will market and distribute the product in Australia. SOURCE Grünenthal Group 21% more press release views with Request a Demo

Q1 FY 26 HIGHLIGHTS – Maxigesic IV® (marketed as Combogesic IV®) launching in Canada this month and sales kick off for AFT Pharmaceuticals Canada as AFT builds out its presence in North America. – US Maxigesic licensing agreement with Hikma Pharmaceuticals extended to maximise the commercial footprint of the medicine. – Research and development program significant advances with: o pre-Investigational New Drug application (pre-IND) for our antibiotic eyedrop already filed and IND to be filed this year with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) o preparing to file a further pre-IND application for our Strawberry Birth Marks topical treatment this year o preparing to file an IND for the novel iron injection around year end o addition of a further project for an improved formulation – An interview with AFT managing Director Hartley Atkinson is available from the following link https://youtu.be/r3nxyp62Khg AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX: AFT; ASX: AFP) is this month starting sales for AFT Pharmaceuticals Canada by launching its patented intravenous pain relief medicine, Maxigesic IV in Canada (marketed as Combogesic), building on the company’s strategy to expand in selected international markets. Combogesic IV combines 1000mg paracetamol and 300mg ibuprofen in a single injectable formulation for the treatment of mild to moderate pain. When used in combination with the tablet form of the medicine, it provides clinicians with a valuable alternative to opioids in both operative settings and in post-discharge care. AFT Managing Director, Dr Hartley Atkinson, said: “We see strong potential for Combogesic IV in Canada. The country is seeking safer, non-opioid approaches to pain management, and our dual-formulation Combogesic patented platform offers clinicians precisely that—an effective alternative to reduce opioid use.” The launch comes as Canada continues to grapple with a severe opioid crisis. Since 2016, more than 49,000 opioid-related deaths have been reported, along with over 45,000 hospitalisations and 187,000 emergency department visits1. Canada’s opioid-related mortality rate, 6.9 per 100,000 population, is second only to the United States globally2. The 2017 Canadian Guideline for Opioid Therapy and Chronic Non-Cancer Pain recommends prioritising non-opioid pharmacotherapies, including NSAIDs3, to reduce reliance on opioids, which are associated with a 5.5% risk of addiction4. Canada’s analgesics market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% to US$1.88 billion by 20305. AFT will commercialize Combogesic IV through its recently established Canadian business hub, led by experienced local pharmaceutical executive Sylvain Desjeans. The Canadian business, which will sell a number of AFT’s own medicines and in-licensed products, has been established as part of AFTs strategy to extend its footprint to territories that offer similar trading characteristics as its core Australasian business. Further launches of OTC products are planned during this FY 26 financial year followed by a significant pipeline of in-licensed products, products developed by AFT and AFT Pharm Sinoject. It has set up similar operations in Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, the US, Europe and the UK. US MAXIGESIC PARTNERSHIP EXTENDED The expansion into Canada builds on a broader strategy in North America. In late May AFT announced it had extended its US Maxigesic licensing agreement with Hikma Pharmaceuticals. The new agreement is aimed to maximise the commercial and patient care benefits that come with following the intravenous form of the pain relief medicine (marketed as Combogesic IV in the US) in postoperative care with the tablet form of the medicine (Combogesic Rapid). The agreement will see Hikma take over all channels for Combogesic Rapid in the US — apart from the license granted to Alexso for certain specific market categories — allowing both forms of AFT’s patented medicines to be marketed across the entire US market. The US is the world’s largest market for pain relief6. AFT and Hikma have also agreed to a restructure of the profit share arrangements for Combogesic IV. The agreement amends the previous profit share which featured a fixed specified profit amount before sharing commenced, to now being a regular quarterly profit share payment. AFT will be more involved in the sales and marketing planning for Combogesic IV and Rapid, also making a contribution towards marketing. AFT sees potential for the new agreement to deliver greater commercial benefits than envisaged by the original agreements with Hikma, one of the largest suppliers of injectable medications by volume in the US. US healthcare costs associated with opioid abuse are estimated at US$11 billion a year7. With 6% of patients administered an opioid postoperatively observed to consume the medicine chronically 8, the two forms of Combogesic offer clinicians an opportunity to reduce these risks in post operative pain setting. EXTENDING MAXIGESIC IV TO PAEDIATRIC POPULATION We are meanwhile preparing to commence a Maxigesic IV study for the paediatric population. The paediatric population typically has fewer safe and effective options for managing pain, particularly in hospital settings. A significant number of physicians have already shown keen interest in data for this population. We expect the study to generate the clinical data required to support regulatory approvals and ensure appropriate dosing for children which will further extend the patient population and sales. PRE-IND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT EYEDROP APPLICATION LODGED WITH FDA Our antibiotic eyedrop R&D is advancing with the pre-IND (Pre-Investigational New Drug) already filed with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and we are targeting an IND application well before year-end. A pre-IND request is an essential early step, allowing AFT to discuss preclinical data and study design with FDA guidance. The subsequent IND filing will pave the way for human clinical trials starting next year within the FDA’s phased approval framework. Licensed in 2023 from Latitude Pharmaceuticals, the antibiotic drop addresses resistant ocular infections such as the MRSA9 superbug and is presently widely prescribed in the US as a compounded formulation but importantly no registered formulation is available. Additionally, good progress has been made for the Topical Strawberry Birthmarks project with a pre-IND application in preparation for filing this year. Also following a successful pre-IND meeting, an IND application is in preparation for the novel injectable iron recently in-licensed with filing planned around the end of this year. With a significant global market potential, these projects are expected to underpin the future growth of the company. AFT’s R&D pipeline now comprises 14 projects, featuring five candidates (multiple Maxigesic dose forms, Capsaicin creams, Crystaderm®, Kiwisoothe®, and Micolette®) nearing or in the commercialisation phase. AFT has also added an improved formulation project targeted at a niche global market of around US$180M which is planned to be ready for filing within next financial year. Notably this last quarter has seen AFT complete five separate out-licensing agreements with a significant number of agreements and term sheets still under negotiation. For and on behalf of AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited by Malcolm Tubby, Chief Financial Officer. For more information: Investors Dr Hartley Atkinson Managing Director AFT Pharmaceuticals Tel: +64 9488 0232 Media Richard Inder The Project Tel: +64 21 645 643 _________ 1 https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/opioids/federal-actions/overview.htm AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited, Level 1, 129 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland 0622, New Zealand Incorporated in New Zealand ARBN: ARBN 609 017 969 investor.relations@aftpharm.com 2 https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/the-united-states-has-by-far-the-highest-death-rate-from-opioids 3 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 4 Busse, J. (2017). The 2017 Canadian guideline for opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. Hamilton, Ont.: McMaster University. 5 https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/analgesics-market/canada 6 https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/pain-management-market 7 https://premierinc.com/newsroom/press-releases/opioid-overdoses-costing-u-s-hospitals-an-estimated-11-billion-annually 8 https://jamanetwork-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2618383 9 Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus