Columbia Laboratories amends license, supply agreement with Merck Serono for CRINONE

Columbia Laboratories, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRX) has amended its license and supply agreement with Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA (XETRA: MRK.DE), Darmstadt, Germany, for CRINONE^® (progesterone gel) through May 2020, representing an extension of five years beyond the current term, which was due to expire in May 2015. CRINONE is currently approved in over 60 countries, including a number of emerging markets such as China, where it was approved at the end of 2008. Merck Serono has marketing rights worldwide except the United States, where CRINONE is marketed by Actavis, Inc. (NYSE:ACT).

“We are pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with Merck Serono for CRINONE”

"We are pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with Merck Serono for CRINONE," said Frank Condella, Columbia's president and chief executive officer. "The early renewal of this agreement through 2020 provides long-term stability for Columbia and surety of supply for Merck Serono as they look to continue their investment in CRINONE globally. We look forward to continued positive cash flow from our core business as Merck Serono builds further sales momentum for CRINONE."

Under the terms of the amended license and supply agreement, Columbia will remain the sole supplier of CRINONE to Merck Serono and will continue to sell CRINONE to Merck Serono on a country by country basis. From 2014 through 2020, the sourcing conditions for Merck Serono will include incremental volume discounts to incentivize Merck Serono to continue developing existing markets and investing in entry into new markets.