Business Wire

NY-PHILIP-MORRIS-INTL

9.8.2021 12:06:05 CEST | Business Wire | Press release

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

VELOCIFERO Takes Action Against Counterfeiting in China13.11.2026 17:32:00 CET | Press release

White s.r.o., exclusive owner of the VELOCIFERO brand, takes action in China to protect its intellectual property rights. Initial measures in Chongqing and Taizhou have already resulted in the seizure of vehicles alleged to be counterfeit. VELOCIFERO is taking action against counterfeiting in China. White s.r.o., the exclusive owner of the VELOCIFERO brand and its related intellectual property rights, has launched decisive measures to protect its creative and industrial assets. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261113797570/en/ Photo courtesy of White s.r.o. “Vehicle sealed in Chongqing as part of actions undertaken to protect VELOCIFERO’s intellectual property rights.” The matter originated in June 2026 when, according to the company’s complaint, computers were removed from the technical office of Taizhou Siweiluo, the company appointed to manufacture VELOCIFERO products. White s.r.o. subsequently became aware

LangChain Raises $300M to Enable Every Company to Own Their Intelligence13.11.2026 16:53:00 CET | Press release

CapitalG leads Series C funding round at a $3B valuation to advance LangChain's agent engineering platform LangChain today announced it has raised $300 million in new funding at a $3 billion valuation, bringing total funding to date to $460 million. The round was led by existing investor CapitalG, with significant participation from new investors GIC and DFJ Growth and existing investors IVP and Sapphire Ventures. LangChain is advancing its mission to help every company own its intelligence. As agents transform the economy, companies are building domain-specific agents differentiated by their knowledge, data, and user experience. These agents will power new products and transform internal company operations, creating lasting competitive advantages for the companies that control them. "Agents are going to transform how companies operate and the products they deliver. The companies that control these systems will build lasting competitive advantages," said Harrison Chase, Co-Founder and

Kinaxis Named a Leader in Five 2026 IDC MarketScapes for Worldwide Supply Chain Planning13.11.2026 13:00:00 CET | Press release

Maestro delivers concurrent planning on a single platform across discrete, process, consumer packaged goods and life sciences Kinaxis® Inc. (TSX:KXS), a global leader in end-to-end supply chain planning and orchestration, today announced it has been named a Leader in five 2026 IDC MarketScape vendor assessments for worldwide supply chain planning. The recognition spans the overall market and four industries - discrete industries, process industries, consumer packaged goods and life sciences industries - all served by a single platform, Kinaxis Maestro®, the company's AI-powered supply chain orchestration platform. "Supply chain leaders don't need a better forecast once a month. They need to know what changed this morning, what it means across the business, and what to do about it," said Andrew Bell, Chief Product Officer of Kinaxis. "I believe being named a Leader across five IDC MarketScape vendor assessments, in industries that plan in very different ways, shows that a single concurr

SBC Medical Announces Capital and Business Alliance with NeuroBrain Dynamics to Advance Clinic Profitability Through Medical AI13.11.2026 12:30:00 CET | Press release

Companies to co-develop six medical AI solutions targeting revenue expansion and cost reduction; SBC Medical secures priority sales rights in Japan and South Korea and targets B2B expansion across Asia SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated (Nasdaq: SBC) (“The Company” or “SBC Medical”), a Medical Services Organization (MSO) providing management support across a wide range of healthcare fields, today announced a strategic capital and business alliance agreement with NeuroBrain Dynamics Inc. (“NBD”), a Taipei-based company dedicated to enterprise generative AI solutions. As part of the agreement executed on November 13, 2026, SBC Medical has made a minority equity investment in NBD. Through this alliance, SBC Medical plans to introduce two complementary suites of generative AI solutions across its network of 287 clinics in Japan and overseas*: “revenue-growth AI,” to elevate average revenue per visit and customer retention through personalized customer guidance, and “cost-reduction AI,

SBC Medical Group Holdings Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results13.11.2026 12:30:00 CET | Press release

Revenue Up 35%, Net Income Attributable to SBC Medical Up 22%, and Adjusted EBITDA1 Up 66% Year-over-Year; Net Income Margin of 27% and Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 47% — Previously Announced Service Fee Revisions and New Clinic Openings Contribute to Revenue Growth and Operating Margin Improvement SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated (Nasdaq: SBC) (“SBC Medical” or the “Company”), a Medical Services Organization (MSO) providing management support across a wide range of healthcare fields to medical institutions in Japan and abroad, today announced its consolidated financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026 (the three months ended September 30, 2026) and the three cumulative quarters of fiscal year 2026 (the nine months ended September 30, 2026). Third Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights Total revenues were $59 million, up 35% year-over-year. Income from operations was $26 million, up 66% year-over-year, with an operating margin of 45%. Net income attributable to SBC Medi

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