Salix Pharmaceuticals (SLXP)

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Jason Napodano

www.zacks.com

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in acquiring, developing, and commercializing prescription drugs used in the treatment of a variety of gastrointestinal diseases. The company has a number of products currently approved for sales. These include Colazal (balsalazide disodium) for the treatment of mild to moderate active ulcerative colitis, Azasan (azathioprine) immuno-suppressive therapy for renal homo-transplant rejection and rheumatoid arthritis, and Anusol/Proctocort (hydrocortisone) for the relief of inflammatory dermatoses and hemorrhoids. In May 2004, the company received final Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Xifaxan (rifaximin), an oral antibiotic for the treatment of traveler's diarrhea. Salix Pharmaceuticals is working on additional indications for Xifaxan, as well as a granulated formulation of mesalamine a common treatment option for ulcerative colitis.

Salix subsequently added new products to its portfolio including Visicol, indicated for colon cleansing prior to colonoscopy OsmoPrep, a next-generation Visicol which was launched in June 2006 and MoviPrep, a liquid bowel cleansing agent which was launched in October 2006. While Visicol and OsmoPrep were acquired by the company through its merger with InKine Pharmaceutical, exclusive U.S. in-licensing rights for MoviPrep were acquired from Norgine B.V. Recent additions to the product portfolio include Sanvar IR, indicated for the treatment of acute esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB) two hospital-based products, Pepcid Oral Suspension (indicated for several gastrointestinal indications including the treatment of duodenal ulcer, benign gastric ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux disease) and Diuril Oral Suspension (an adjunctive therapy in edema associated with several conditions including hepatic cirrhosis), from Merck and metoclopramide Zydis, indicated for short term (4 12 weeks) therapy for adults with symptomatic documented gastroesophageal reflux who fail to respond to conventional therapy and for the relief of symptoms associated with acute and recurrent diabetic gastric stasis.

Salix focuses primarily on the U.S. pharmaceutical market, promoting its drugs through its specialized sales force. Management also seeks to form strategic alliances to market its products outside the U.S. in order to avoid the significant costs, risks, and infrastructure inherent in assembling an international sales force. Salix is located in Morrisville, NC and employs roughly 240 professionals.

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