Canada-based Apotex has signed a contract to sell its commercial operations and certain supporting infrastructure for its generics business in five European countries to India-based Aurobindo Pharma, it was reported yesterday.

The sale is intended to enable Apotex to concentrate its resources on the Americas where strong demand for its portfolio continues. Apotex operates its European generic pharmaceutical business through wholly-owned subsidiaries in the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain and Belgium.

Based on the contract, these subsidiaries will be sold and certain supporting infrastructure including personnel, products, marketing authorisations and dossier license rights regarding the pharmaceutical business in those countries will effectively be transferred to Aurobindo Pharma Limited, once all closing conditions, which include customary competition clearance, are satisfied. Under the contract, Apotex also entered into a transitional manufacturing and supply arrangement in order to support the ongoing growth plans of these businesses.