Janssen Pharmaceutica has entered into an exclusive agreement with Mundipharma under which the latter will distribute its diabetes drugs Invokana and Vokanamet in countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.

Currently the deal relates to territories where the products have obtained pricing and reimbursement approvals, but additional EEA countries may be added after further agreements are in place.

The deal gives Mundipharma exclusive rights to promote, distribute, and sell the products through its network of independent associated companies, while Janssen maintains manufacturing responsibilities and continues to be responsible for certain regulatory activities.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Invokana (canagliflozin) is a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor first approved in the European Union in November 2013. The drug is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with type II diabetes, to improve glycaemic control, where diet and exercise do not provide adequate glycaemic control either as monotherapy (when the use of metformin is contra-indicated or not suitable) or as add-on therapy.

Vokanamet (a fixed-dose combination of canagliflozin and metformin) was cleared in 2014 to improve glycaemic control of adult patients with type II diabetes, combining two oral glucose-lowering medicinal products with different and complementary mechanisms of action.