Cipher Pharmaceuticals announces Vaniqa launch in Canada, executive appointments

Cipher Pharmaceuticals announced the Canadian market launch of Vaniqa, which was recently licensed from Almirall S.A., according to a press release.

The company announced the acquisition of the Canadian rights to Vaniqa and Aktikerall from the Spanish pharmaceutical company in May. Vaniqa, an enzyme inhibitor, is a prescription cream that reduces growth of unwanted facial hair in women, according to Cipher.

"Building on the initial success of Epuris, the launch of Vaniqa represents Cipher's second dermatology product in Canada and further demonstrates our strategic objective to build a substantial dermatology franchise in Canada," Joan Chypyha, president and general manager, Canada, said in the release.

Cipher expects that Actikerall, indicated for topical treatment of slightly palpable or moderately thick hyperkeratotic actinic keratosis and approved by Health Canada in July 2014, will be launched in the first quarter of 2016, according to the release.

Cipher also announced the appointments of Louise Blythe as vice president, Regulatory Affairs and Brian Rosenberger as vice president, Alliance and Strategic Portfolio Management. It also announced the promotions of Chypyha to president and general manager, Canada and Joe Pecora to president and general manager, USA.

Blythe was most recently the director of regulatory affairs and quality assurance at Forest Laboratories Canada, and had held various positions within regulatory affairs at AstraZeneca Canada, according to the release.

Rosenberger has more than two decades of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, specifically in specialty markets. He worked for Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, where his responsibilities had included marketing the company's flagship brand, Testim, a testosterone gel, the release stated.

Reference: www.cipherpharma.com