APR Applied Pharma Research S.A. (APR), the Swiss, independent developer of science driven, patent protected healthcare products, and Amicus S.A. (Amicus), a leading distributor of pharmaceutical and OTC products, announced the signature of a partnership agreement for the promotion, distribution and marketing of the HalyKoo baby healthcare product line in the former Yugoslavia/West Balkan region.

This agreement will allow Amicus to strengthen its position in the pharmacy channel through the offer of a new, innovative brand called Halykoo, which sets a very new pace in the paediatric healthcare market by providing problem solution products in smart and tailored delivery formats for happier kids and more confident caregivers.

“We are very proud to have the chance to launch such a valuable brand family in the former Yugoslavia/West Balkan region,” said Amicus COO Predrag Lukic. “We are confident that thanks to Halykoo’s unique selling proposition we can, and will, gain a strong position in the paediatric healthcare market.

“The Balkan consumer (and especially the paediatric healthcare market) has been steadily growing in the last years in the Balkans,” commented Lukic. “Indeed, the private market comprises over 50% of healthcare spending in the region, and the self-care sector of the market exceeds 20% of the pharma market, or more than 600 million Euros. We expect the self-care market to grow faster than the overall pharmaceutical market – certainly at rates exceeding 5% per annum between now and 2020 due to the increasing relevance of self-care to our countries’ consumers.

Amicus director of consumer medicines in Serbia, Svetlana Petrovic, asserted that Amicus aimed “to make Halykoo a leading, quality brand in the pharmacy channel. We think that our ambitions for Halykoo are reasonable,” Petrovic continued, “given that Halykoo offers effective, high quality and tailored solutions in the four biggest OTC therapeutical areas by turnover and volumes - skin, cough & cold, ears/nose/throat, vitamins and nutraceuticals - together with a distinctive brand, a unique communication strategy and socially-acceptable pricing.”

Over the last 20 years, APR has developed high-quality products certified according to the strictest international regulations. “We design and develop science-driven, value-added products we market with leading pharmaceutical companies.” – said Paolo Galfetti, CEO and co-founder of APR. “We are very pleased about the partnership with Amicus, since it proves Halykoo’s level of quality and innovation, a brand that will be soon available in many countries all over the world”.

Halykoo is a new global brand in the paediatric self-care market, conceived and developed by APR starting from an unmet demand driven insight, which aims to transform the moments of child healthcaring in a time of relation (between mother and kid) peaceful, simple and safe in order to get parents’ confidence and smiling babies.

Halykoo is the first and only OTC paediatric healthcare brand that matches formulations specifically focused on each of the unique ages and stages of children’s growth, since birth, with smart and innovative formulations and delivery systems intended to simplify their use for parents and reduce the hassle for babies.

Halykoo products are the perfect combination of responsible, Swiss, high-quality research combined with an extensive understanding of child and caregivers needs: as a result, each Halykoo product provides the right formula – from accurate selection of the ingredients, to careful dosing of the active principles and full compliance with the strictest safety standards - and the right delivery system for the right age.