Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RPI), USA, wholly owned subsidiary of Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, has purchased patents, trademarks, and automated manufacturing equipment for Senetek PLC's proprietary disposable autoinjector for self administration of parenteral drugs, including epinephrine for emergency treatment of anaphylactic shock from peanut and other allergies.

According to a Ranbaxy release, the agreement provides for a non-refundable payment by the company to Senetek on signing and milestone payments based on regulatory approvals and cumulative sales milestones. Terms also include a percentage of the company's and / or its licensees' quarterly net sales of the product(s) to be paid to Senetek. Initially, the company will focus on pre-filling the autoinjector device with epinephrine. The company will also evaluate the development of other parenteral drugs (including Senetek's patented erectile dysfunction drug Invicorp).

The company will make infrastructure investments, including building the required clean room suits at its facility in New Brunswick, New Jersey to house the highly automated autoinjector production line. Under the terms of the agreement, the company will obtain regulatory approvals and market the product. The company has also agreed to discuss the possibility of manufacturing and supplying Invicorp in the autoinjector device to Senetek's licensees.

Dipak Chattaraj, Chairman of Ranbaxy Inc, the US parent Company of RPI said, "Anaphylactice shock due to allergic reaction to peanut-based food additives is a growing health risk that current results in over 30,000 emergency room trips and 150 to 200 preventable deaths in US each year, not including an addition 50 deaths from bee stings and other allergic reaction. Senetek's patented modular autoinjector is ideally suited for this acute self-medication market, which is growing at over 25% annually as health and educational organizations build popular awareness of these risks. This device can also be adapted for other acute applications, including the military and Homeland Security sectors for administration of antidotes to chemicals and biological agents."