TAP, Shire ink deal to market Lialda

LAKE FOREST, Ill., and WAYNE, Pa. TAP Pharmaceutical Products and Shire have signed a three-year agreement to co-promote the mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis drug Lialda, according to published reports.

The agreement will add more than 500 additional sales representatives from TAP to Shire’s 120-person sales force, which markets the drug primarily to gastroenterologists.

“With the added expertise of the TAP team, we’ll be able to reach more GI specialists as well as primary-care providers with messages about Lialda,” said Mike Yasick, senior vice president of Shire’s gastrointestinal business unit.

The TAP sales force will begin promoting Lialda to specialists and certain primary-care physicians in April 2008.