Menarini Asia-Pacific has expanded its partnership with Pharmacosmos A/S, to include exclusive rights to commercialise MonoFer (ferric derisomaltose) in Singapore and Malaysia.

This builds upon the successful collaboration between the companies for MonoFer in Australia. Menarini will manage all aspects of MonoFer's marketing, sales and distribution in Singapore and Malaysia.

MonoFer is an innovative high-dose intravenous (IV) iron preparation shown to be effective in treating iron deficiency across multiple therapeutic patient groups and allows for the administration of high doses of iron over a short period of time, offering patients a more efficient iron correction treatment. MonoFer is now approved in more than 40 countries globally with more than 46 million doses administered.

Iron deficiency is often associated with chronic conditions like heart failure, gastrointestinal and gynaecological conditions, and manifests through symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. It is a common cause of anaemia worldwide, presenting a major public health challenge.

In South and Southeast Asian countries, the prevalence of anaemia is 47% in non-pregnant women, 52% in pregnant women and 54% in those aged 60 years and above in Asia. The condition can lead to more serious complications such as postpartum haemorrhage in expectant mothers and increased all-cause mortality among the elderly.