Altana Signs Up Pharmacia

Despite having little or no presence in the respiratory market, Pharmacia fought off Novartis, Roche and Aventis to win worldwide marketing right to Altana's roflumilast for COPD and asthma--a drug that could become a blockbuster. Altana reckons that Pharmacia, with no similar products of its own that might compete for attention, is strongly committed to roflumilast's success.