Biotech Holdings Ltd. (OTCBB: BIOHF) (TSXV: BIO) is heading south of the border with the announcement that it is expanding distribution of its Sucanon diabetes drug in Mexico and other markets.BIOHF took over Sucanon distribution from an appointed marketing company in September, 2006 and currently distributes through more than ten chains. Retail chains distributing Sucanon include big-box retailer Wal-Mart and drugstore chains Farmacias Benavides and Farmacias del Ahorro.
Catalog and call-center sales to better-off customers are conducted principally through Internacional de Productos. Overall, the distribution system that has been created allows Sucanon to be offered to Type II diabetics through approximately 2,000 retail outlets.
BIOHF is also working to improve the availability of Sucanon to poorer sectors of the Mexican population, who cannot afford to buy regularly at normal retail prices. Earlier this month, the company participated by invitation at a “Diabetes and Society National Meeting” organized by the Mexican Social Security Institute (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social or IMSS) to find channels and methods by which government support for purchasing of Sucanon can be extended among the less well-off. The IMSS is a government institution which is involved in providing medical care for approximately 48 million people.
BIOHF recently signed a distribution agreement covering four markets in Latin America and is continuing to pursue distribution discussions in a number of Latin American markets including Brazil and Argentina as well as in some markets outside Latin America.
BIOHF is a pharmaceutical production and distribution company based in Vancouver, Canada. The company has developed an important new anti-diabetic medication, which has been trademarked as “Sucanon” and “Diab II.” The company is now focused on the distribution and marketing of this medication. BIOHF also looks forward to development of combination therapies using this new proprietary medication in combination with other well-established treatments for Type II Diabetes, which is one of the world’s most widespread and rapidly growing diseases.