Business Wire

NY-PHILIP-MORRIS-INTL

Share
Philip Morris International Acquires Inhaled Drug Specialist OtiTopic; Growing Pipeline of “Beyond Nicotine” Inhaled Therapeutic Products

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM) today announced its acquisition of OtiTopic, a U.S. respiratory drug development company with a late-stage inhalable acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) treatment for acute myocardial infarction. If approved, the treatment can address the significant unmet medical need of the over 83 million people, in the U.S. alone, at intermediate to high risk for myocardial infarction.

“The acquisition of OtiTopic is an exciting step in PMI’s Beyond Nicotine ambitions,” said Jacek Olczak, CEO, PMI. “We have world-class expertise in the research, development, and commercialization of aerosolization and inhalable devices to help speed the delivery of this exciting product to market.”

This acquisition is part of PMI’s strategic plan to leverage its expertise, scientific know-how, and capabilities in inhalation to grow a pipeline of inhaled therapeutics and respiratory drug delivery Beyond Nicotine. Following the completion of clinical trials and pending approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), PMI can leverage its expertise and the capabilities of other companies in the Beyond Nicotine portfolio to bring ASPRIHALE® to market.

ASPRIHALE® a patented, dry powder inhalation of ASA delivered through a unique self-administered aerosol is expected to move from clinical trials to filing with FDA for approval in 2022. Early clinical trials have shown that the product system catalyzed peak plasma concentration and the desired pharmacodynamic effect, i.e., inhibition of platelet aggregation in two minutes compared with 20 minutes for coated chewable aspirin. This speed is unprecedented and has significant potential implications for improving the survival of patients at risk of heart attacks.

OtiTopic will complete its assessment program and filing with the FDA using FDA’s 505 (b)(2) pathway, a pathway designed for drugs already available on the market but requesting approval either for a new indication, dosage form or regimen, strength, combination with other products, or other unique traits. This pathway will allow PMI to build on existing data available for ASA reference products and focus on delivering the evidence that the inhalable form, ASPRIHALE®, outperforms the current standard of care—oral delivery—of ASA.

“In the United States alone, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds. With its inhalable version of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), OtiTopic has developed an asset that promises to have a much faster onset of effect compared to oral ASA,” said Jorge Insuasty, chief life sciences officer, PMI. “With its acquisition of OtiTopic, PMI looks forward to completing the planned ASPRIHALE® registration program and bringing this important treatment to market to address a significant unmet medical need in a clinical condition where every second counts.”

“This transaction aligns well with OtiTopic’s goals of unlocking what we believe to be a significant opportunity in inhaled therapeutics science,” said Kambiz Yadidi, CEO, OtiTopic. “We are entering this transaction to accelerate ASPRIHALE®’s FDA filing, with the goal of delivering innovative therapies for people with intermediate to high risk for myocardial infarction.”

PMI’s Beyond Nicotine vision is part of a larger transformation that puts health, science, technology, and sustainability at the heart of PMI’s future, delivering products and solutions that aim to improve people’s lives and deliver a net positive impact on society. Building on the company’s investment and expertise in aerosol chemistry and physics, device technology, clinical research, and best-in-class preclinical safety and inhalation models, PMI is developing a pipeline focused on inhaled therapeutics for medical and wellness applications.

To date, PMI has invested more than $8 billion in building a world-class research and development capability, including pre-clinical systems toxicology and clinical capabilities, behavioral research, and post-market studies. The company has also met the strictest of regulatory requirements, including in the U.S., where the Food and Drug Administration authorized a version of our lead smoke-free tobacco product as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product in 2020.

OtiTopic was founded in 2012 as an innovative pharmaceutical start-up company and holds several key patents, differentiated intellectual property, and has confirmed a 505(b)2 pathway through constructive interactions with the FDA.

PMI expects the impact of the acquisition of OtiTopic on its full-year 2021 adjusted diluted EPS to be immaterial.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical, including statements regarding the acquisition of OtiTopic, and any other statements regarding events or developments that we believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, may be “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.

There are a number of important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These factors include risks and uncertainties related to, among other things: (1) the possibility that the integration of OtiTopic and its operations with those of PMI may be more difficult and/or take longer than anticipated, and may not accelerate PMI’s desired entry into additional smoke-free and beyond nicotine platforms as quickly as anticipated; (2) the possibility that ASPRIHALE® may not receive FDA approval when anticipated, if at all; (3) the ability of PMI to retain key personnel of OtiTopic; and (4) other factors that may affect future results of the combined company described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in PMI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, PMI’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, and other filings of PMI with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date hereof and PMI does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise, except as required by law.

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company, its shareholders and its other stakeholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, as well as smoke-free products, associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. In addition, PMI ships versions of its IQOS Platform 1 device and consumables to Altria Group, Inc. for sale under license in the U.S., where these products have received marketing authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway; the FDA has also authorized the marketing of a version of IQOS and its consumables as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP), finding that an exposure modification order for these products is appropriate to promote the public health. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI’s smoke-free product portfolio includes heat-not-burn and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of June 30, 2021, PMI’s smoke-free products are available for sale in 67 markets in key cities or nationwide, and PMI estimates that approximately 14.7 million adults around the world have already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com .

# # #

About Business Wire

Business Wire
Business Wire
101 California Street, 20th Floor
CA 94111 San Francisco

http://businesswire.com

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

Doha Debates Reflects on a Landmark Year of Global Dialogue and Youth Engagement19.1.2026 17:02:00 CET | Press release

In 2026, Doha Debates addresses the world’s most pressing questions through global dialogue that engages diverse audiences, including youth In 2025, Qatar Foundation’s Doha Debates strengthened its role as a global platform for truth-seeking dialogue, bringing students and leading thinkers together to explore ideas shaping today’s most urgent questions––from freedom and justice to identity and belonging. Its reach continued to grow, surpassing 13.8 million video views and engaging nearly seven million followers across social platforms, including more than one million YouTube subscribers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119796451/en/ In 2026, Doha Debates addresses the world’s most pressing questions through global dialogue that engages diverse audiences, including youth. (Photo: AETOSWire) A major milestone came with season four of The Negotiators, which earned international recognition, winning the Folio A

Evernote Releases v11, Marking a New Chapter in AI-Powered Productivity19.1.2026 17:00:00 CET | Press release

Evernote today announced the release of v11, its first major product update in five years. The new version includes three powerful AI features—AI Assistant, Semantic Search, and AI Meeting Notes—creating smarter ways to capture, retrieve, and manage information in Evernote. With the release of v11, these features are now available to all Evernote customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119103272/en/ Two years of work culminating in a major update V11 is a recognition of Evernote’s evolution under Bending Spoons’ stewardship. Since 2024, Evernote has released more than 250 new features and improvements while also greatly enhancing sync, speed, and reliability. With v11, Evernote ushers in an exciting new phase of development and innovation, bringing customers novel ways to engage with their preferred productivity tool. “Evernote has been part of people’s lives for years, often decades. They’ve always insp

Esmark Expands Global Sports Commitment With Sponsorship of Slovakian Professional Hockey Team19.1.2026 14:00:00 CET | Press release

Sponsorship unites local talent and gives the people of Košice a team of their own Esmark Sports Management and Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of Esmark Inc., announced today it is the team sponsor and co-owner of a newly established professional hockey team in Košice, Slovakia. This partnership underscores Esmark’s commitment to supporting sports development and strengthening community connections through the unifying power of athletics. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119104207/en/ Esmark Sports Management and Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of Esmark Inc., is the team sponsor and co-owner of a newly established professional hockey team in Košice, Slovakia. The Hockey Club Esmark Košice team began competing in the 2HL division of professional ice hockey in Slovakia in the 2025-2026 season. The roster features players from Košice who have been competing for clubs across Slovakia. “The cr

WHOOP Becomes Official Health and Fitness Wearable Partner and Team Partner of Scuderia Ferrari HP19.1.2026 13:38:00 CET | Press release

A First in Formula 1: WHOOP to Deliver Health Insights Across the Scuderia Ferrari HP Team WHOOP, the human performance company, today announced a new, global partnership with Scuderia Ferrari HP as the Official Health and Fitness Wearable Partner and Team Partner. Starting in the 2026 season, Scuderia Ferrari HP cars and drivers will host the WHOOP logo, while WHOOP will be provided to members of the team to unlock insights on their health, recovery, and fitness. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119602892/en/ This partnership also unlocks a first-of-its-kind integration in which the medical team supporting Scuderia Ferrari HP will work closely with the WHOOP Performance Science team, led by Dr. Kristen Holmes, on enhancing the physical efficiency and recovery for the entire Scuderia Ferrari HP organization. Together, they will work on the foundational elements of health and fitness with a unique human optim

Logistics Reply Announces the Launch of Its Warehouse AI Agent Builder, GaliLEA Dynamic Intelligence19.1.2026 12:32:00 CET | Press release

Logistics Reply, the Reply group company specialising in innovative solutions for supply chain execution and warehouse management, announced today the release of GaliLEA Dynamic Intelligence, the new AI Agent Builder, part of its agentic AI solution natively embedded within the LEA ReplyTM Platform, the microservices-based platform for warehouse and supply chain execution. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119708355/en/ LEA Reply enables end-to-end supply chain execution while continuously evolving to address increasing levels of automation and operational complexity. Designed to support warehouse operations through a flexible and scalable architecture, LEA Reply enables end-to-end supply chain execution while continuously evolving to address increasing levels of automation and operational complexity. With the introduction of GaliLEA Dynamic Intelligence, the platform enables users to design, configure, and d

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye