Perrigo announced that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with AgaMatrix, Inc. to sell and distribute blood glucose monitors and test strips in the US store brand channel. As part of the agreement, Perrigo will sell and distribute certain products in the current AgaMatrix portfolio as well as certain future new products. AgaMatrix is a privately held company focused entirely on innovative solutions for people with diabetes. Their leading edge technologies have been commercially available since 2006. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

It is estimated that over $2.8 billion is spent annually on glucose monitoring meters and test strips in the US Perrigo will leverage its existing store brand retail channels to expand distribution of the new blood glucose meters and testing strips to consumers in early 2011. In addition, the company will continue to explore a full range of diabetes care products that extends beyond blood glucose monitoring.

Perrigo’s chairman and CEO Joseph C Papa stated, “Entering this adjacent product category has been high on our strategic priority list due to the fact that the growing diabetic community has an increasing demand for more quality, affordable healthcare options. It is well known that regular blood glucose testing is critical to effective diabetes management. What is also well known is that the cost of testing strips and supplies often prevents many diabetics from testing as often as they should.” Added Papa, “The Center for Disease Control estimates that one in three Americans will develop diabetes in their lifetime. Given the strong patient demand for high quality and value in this segment, we are very pleased to have completed this deal with AgaMatrix who, we believe, has industry-leading quality and technology.”

Perrigo Company is a leading global healthcare supplier that develops, manufactures and distributes OTC and generic prescription (Rx) pharmaceuticals, infant formulas, nutritional products, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and pharmaceutical and medical diagnostic products.