CaSR x PTH1R

TransCon CNP, one of the therapies in the agreement, is currently in clinical development for achondroplasia. Credit: Louis Reed on Unsplash. Er-Kim has extended its exclusive agreement with Ascendis Pharma , broadening the reach of three endocrinology treatments across multiple countries in Eurasia. This follows the initial exclusive distribution arrangement announced in January 2024 which covered Turkey along with Central and Eastern Europe. The extended agreement appoints Er-Kim as the exclusive distributor for Ascendis Pharma’s endocrinology rare disease portfolio in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The therapies included are once-weekly human growth hormone, SKYTROFA (lonapegsomatropin), along with TransCon CNP (navepegritide) and the first-in-class parathyroid hormone (PTH) replacement therapy, YORVIPATH (palopegteriparatide). SKYTROFA received approval in the European Union for growth hormone-deficient individuals aged three to 18. It is also approved in the US for children aged one year and above with growth failure due to inadequate secretion of growth hormone. TransCon CNP is currently in clinical development for achondroplasia, the widespread form of skeletal dysplasia causing disproportionate short stature. Ascendis Pharma is advancing this treatment following the completion of its pivotal ApproaCH trial. Ascendis Pharma Europe and international president and executive vice-president Camilla Harder Hartvig stated: “At Ascendis Pharma we are driven by our commitment to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. “We are therefore pleased to extend our existing partnership with Er-Kim to further broaden patient access to our innovative endocrinology rare disease treatment options across Eurasia.” YORVIPATH addresses chronic hypoparathyroidism, a condition characterised by low or absent levels of PTH. It received approval in the European Union in November 2023 for adults with this condition and in the US for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism in adults. Er-Kim CFO Mert Zorlular stated: “We are proud of what we’ve achieved together over the past year and look forward to our expanded collaboration with Ascendis Pharma in broadening the distribution of its rare endocrinology disease therapies to address the significant unmet need for access to treatments in these countries. “Our success in making life-saving treatments available to patients regardless of location, one country at a time, depends on our partnerships with innovative companies such as Ascendis Pharma.”

MONTREAL, July 4, 2024 /CNW/ - Pendopharm, a division of Pharmascience Inc., announced today that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Ascendis Pharma A/S (NASDAQ: ASND) ("Ascendis"), a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. Under the terms of the agreement, Pendopharm is responsible for regulatory approval and commercialization of Ascendis' hypoparathyroidism treatment TransConTM PTH (palopegteriparatide) in Canada. Financial terms of the agreement are not disclosed. TransConTM PTH is a parathyroid hormone (PTH) replacement therapy designed to treat chronic hypoparathyroidism, a rare condition caused by absent or insufficient levels of PTH. It is approved under the brand name YORVIPATH® in the European Union, European Economic Area, and Great Britain as a PTH replacement therapy for the treatment of adults with chronic hypoparathyroidism1. TransConTM PTH is also in development for the treatment of adults with chronic hypoparathyroidism in the United States, Japan, and other countries. A leading Canadian Parathyroidologist Dr Aliya Khan noted that TransConTM PTH will be the first approved treatment option available to Canadian patients living with chronic hypoparathyroidism. "Hypoparathyroidism can seriously impact quality of life and has potentially life-threatening consequences," Dr Khan said. "To have an option that is able to treat the underlying cause of the disease, moving beyond standard oral calcium and active vitamin D, is a great step forward." "This partnership represents Pendopharm's commitment to bringing innovative medicines that address unmet medical needs to Canadian patients," said Jad Isber, VP and GM of Pendopharm. "We look forward to working with Canadian endocrinologists to make TransConTM PTH available to all patients who may benefit from it." Ascendis Pharma Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Camilla Harder Hartvig said "We are delighted to partner with Pendopharm to bring TransConTM PTH to Canada, contributing to our shared goal of making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients living with chronic hypoparathyroidism." This new partnership aligns with Pharmascience's ambition to establish itself as a leading organization in the life sciences ecosystem. "We are excited by the addition of TransConTM PTH to our portfolio and the life-changing impact it will have on patients. Our wide range of generic and specialty products demonstrates Pharmascience's continued commitment to improve access to medicines and bring new innovation for patients in Canada and globally" stated Martin Arès, Chief Executive Officer of Pharmascience. © 2024 Pendopharm, division of Pharmascience Inc. All rights reserved. About Pendopharm Pendopharm, a division of Pharmascience Inc., is a leading Canadian specialty pharmaceutical company providing patients with innovative medicines that address unmet medical needs. Its areas of focus are gastroenterology, sports medicine and orthopedics, neurology and cardiology. Pendopharm has extensive experience and knowledge to successfully manage its growing product portfolio. Additional information: About Pharmascience Inc. Pharmascience Inc. is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in Canada and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Pharmascience delivers high-quality medicines to over 50 countries worldwide. Pharmascience's global presence and agile business development model provide healthcare communities around the world with the high-quality Canadian medicines to respond to patients' needs. About Ascendis Pharma Ascendis Pharma is applying its innovative TransCon technology platform to build a leading, fully integrated biopharma company focused on making a meaningful difference in patients' lives. Guided by its core values of Patients, Science and Passion, Ascendis uses its TransCon technologies to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies. Ascendis is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark and has additional facilities in Europe and the United States. Please visit to learn more. About TransConTM PTH (palopegteriparatide) TransConTM PTH is a prodrug of parathyroid hormone (PTH 1-34) administered once daily, designed to provide parathyroid hormone levels within the normal physiological range across the 24-hour dosing period. YORVIPATH was granted marketing authorization by the European Commission (EC) and European Economic Area (EEA) in November 2023 and by the United Kingdom's Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in April 2024 as a PTH replacement therapy indicated for the treatment of adults with chronic hypoparathyroidism. In the United States, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has set a PDUFA date of August 14, 2024 to complete their review of Ascendis Pharma's New Drug Application for TransCon PTH for adults with chronic hypoparathyroidism. TransCon PTH is also in development in Japan through Teijin Ltd. and in China through VISEN Pharmaceuticals. About Hypoparathyroidism Hypoparathyroidism is an endocrine disease caused by insufficient levels of PTH, the primary regulator of calcium and phosphate balance in the body, acting directly on bone and kidneys and indirectly on the intestine. Hypoparathyroidism is considered chronic if it persists >12 months following surgery per the 2022 Guidelines from the Second International Workshop.2 Individuals with hypoparathyroidism may experience a range of severe and potentially life-threatening short-term and long-term complications, including neuromuscular irritability, renal complications, extra-skeletal calcifications, and cognitive impairment. Post-surgical hypoparathyroidism accounts for the majority of cases (70-80%), while other etiologies include autoimmune, genetic, and idiopathic causes. References YORVIPATH (palopegteriparatide) EU Summary of Product Characteristics. Khan AA, Rubin MR, Schwarz P, et al. J Bone Miner Res. 2023;38(1):14–25. SOURCE Pendopharm Company Codes: NASDAQ-NMS:ASND

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vector Pharma FZCO (Vector) today announced that it has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Danish company Ascendis Pharma, Inc. A/S (Nasdaq: ASND) to commercialize both Skytrofa™ and Yorvipath™ in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain. Under the terms of this exclusive distribution agreement, Vector will employ its sales and marketing expertise to distribute both Skytrofa and Yorvipath to patients in the GCC countries for the treatment of pediatric growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in the case of Skytrofa, and adult hypoparathyroidism in the case of Yorvipath. “I am excited to announce this regional agreement with Ascendis Pharma,” commented Vector Pharma FZCO Managing Partner, Patrick Jordan. “In Skytrofa, we have the opportunity for patients in our region to have access to an FDA- and European Commission-approved once-weekly treatment for children and adolescents with GHD, and Yorvipath as a European Commission-approved parathyroid hormone replacement therapy for adults with chronic hypoparathyroidism. Introducing TransCon technology-based therapeutics to the GCC will provide important tools for Endocrinologists and other Health Care Providers seeing these disorders.” “We are pleased to partner with Vector Pharma, a company with a demonstrated ability to work effectively with patients, payers, and providers in GCC countries,” said Camilla Harder Hartvig, Ascendis Pharma’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. “Their deep experience in the region will support our shared goal of bringing to market new treatment options designed to address the needs of patients living with these rare diseases.” About Vector Pharma FZCO Vector Pharma was founded in 2019 with the ambition to be the leading full service distributor for rare diseases, oncology and highly specialized therapeutics in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkish markets. As the only TRACE certified full service distributor in the region, Vector has an equal emphasis on patient demand generation through evidence-based medicine, fast track market access solutions, and highest compliance & ethical standards, all the while striving for the best outcomes for patients, prescribers, and partners. Vector Pharma is also a proud founding member of the World Orphan Drug Alliance (WODA) offering its services together with like-minded sister companies in Switzerland, CEE, Russia & CIS, Israel, Greece/Cyprus/Malta, Africa, Greater China, SE Asia & ANZ and Latin America. More information can be found at or at custops@vectorpharma.me. About Ascendis Pharma Ascendis Pharma is applying its innovative platform technology to build a leading, fully integrated biopharma company focused on making a meaningful difference in patients’ lives. Guided by its core values of patients, science and passion, the company uses its TransCon technology platform to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies. Please visit to learn more.