Critical Therapeutics signs promotion deal

Critical Therapeutics Inc.of Lexington will join forces with a Merck KGaA affiliate to help promote the companies' respiratory care products in the United States.

Critical Therapeutics, which markets the asthma drug Zyflo, and Dey L.P., an affiliate of Merck KGaA of Germany, announced today the signing of a joint promotion agreement.

The companies said they have a combined sales force of 240 representatives, and that the agreement calls for Critical Therapeutics to co-promote Dey's clinical candidate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease if it gets regulatory approval.

In addition, Dey will co-promote Critical Therapeutics' controlled-release formulation of Zyflo, assuming regulatory approval.

"Dey is an ideal co-promotion partner due to its broad coverage of the respiratory physicians and established track record of success in the respiratory market," Critical Therapeutics chief executive Frank Thomas said in a statement.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)