Grünenthal, an entrepreneurial, science-based pharmaceutical company specialized in pain, gout and inflammation, and Mundipharma, a network of independent associated companies, have entered into a license and distribution agreement. Under its terms, Mundipharma will market and distribute Grünenthal’s Tramal (tramadol) in China from May 1, 2018.

Developed by Grünenthal, Tramal is a well-established analgesic for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is the only international brand of tramadol in China that includes sustained release tablets and immediate release capsules, as well as an intravenous formulation used for post-operative pain in patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA). Delivering the analgesic intravenously with a patient-controlled device can provide an important and effective pain control option for patients.

“Poorly controlled post-operative pain may delay the recovery process, and negatively impact patients’ quality of life. With Tramal, which has a long track record in the Chinese market, we are proud to offer a solution that helps patients in need,” Gabriel Baertschi, CEO Grünenthal, explains. “Given Mundipharma’s strong commitment and experience in pain management in China, we hope to make Tramal® available for even more Chinese pain-patients in need of effective medication.”

“The addition of Tramal to our portfolio reinforces Mundipharma’s position as the international leader in advancing appropriate cancer-related pain relief in China,” says Raman Singh, CEO Mundipharma. “PCIA is an advanced option for medical professionals to treat patients suffering from moderate to severe pain. We are pleased to extend our relationship with Grünenthal to advance the treatment of patients in China, where there remains an unmet patient need,” he adds. “Both organisations are committed to ensuring the responsible use of analgesic medications to treat post-operative patients when other options provide insufficient relief.”

The Grünenthal Group is an entrepreneurial, science-based pharmaceutical company specialized in pain, gout and inflammation. The company's ambition is to deliver four to five new products to patients in diseases with high unmet medical need by 2022 and become a €2 billion company.

Mundipharma is a network of independent associated companies which are privately owned entities covering pharmaceutical markets in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa.