Business
Hikma entering Ethiopian pharmaceutical market
Hikma entering Ethiopian pharmaceutical market.
About this update from Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \nRNS Number : 2366O Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc 18 September 2013 \n \n\n \n \n \nPRESS RELEASE \n \n \nHikma entering Ethiopian pharmaceutical market through a joint venture with MIDROC Group\nLondon, 18 September 2013 - Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (\"Hikma\") (LSE: HIK) (NASDAQ Dubai: HIK) (OTC: HKMPY), the fast growing multinational pharmaceutical group, today announces that it has signed a 50:50 joint venture (\"JV\") agreement with MIDROC Pharmaceuticals Limited, a member of Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi's MIDROC Group (\"MIDROC\"), to establish a presence in the Ethiopian pharmaceutical market. The JV will be called HikmaCure. \nCommenting on the transaction, Said Darwazah, CEO of Hikma said, \"I am extremely pleased to be partnering with MIDROC to bring high quality, affordable medicines to the Ethiopian market. Expanding our presence into sub-Saharan Africa is a key strategic priority for Hikma and this is an excellent first step. We believe Ethiopia offers strong growth potential in the medium to long term and our investment at this stage will enable us to be well positioned in the market. We will continue to explore opportunities to build our presence in the sub-Saharan region.\"\nEthiopia has a population of 94 million people, 64% of whom are under 25 years old. The Ethiopian pharmaceutical market is valued at over US$500 million. It is growing at a compound annual rate of around 15% and is expected to reach approximately US$1 billion in 2018, driven by increasing investment in healthcare infrastructure and improved purchasing power of patients. Currently the market is highly dependent on imports, which account for around 75% of the total pharmaceutical market. \nOver the next five years, HikmaCure will establish an Ethiopian operating company, build a local manufacturing facility and will begin marketing and distributing pharmaceutic...