Derma Sciences, a tissue regeneration company focused on advanced wound and burn care, announced that it has purchased the MEDIHONEY brand and related intellectual property and goodwill from its long-term partner, New Zealand-based Comvita.
Consideration is an upfront payment of $13.25 million in cash, with an additional $5.0 million potentially payable in the form of an earn-out upon achievement of future annual sales milestones. Prior to the acquisition, Derma Sciences held the exclusive global license for the Comvita-owned MEDIHONEY brand and patents for the medical and professional market segments.
The purchase eliminates Derma Sciences’ obligation of royalty payments to Comvita on the sale of MEDIHONEY products, which royalties amounted to $1.6 million in 2016.
Additional agreements entered into at the time of the acquisition include an exclusive medical honey supply agreement from Comvita to Derma Sciences for 10 years with fixed pricing terms for two years, a worldwide licensing agreement from Derma Sciences to Comvita to use the purchased intellectual property in the over-the-counter (OTC) market, and the continued manufacture of honey-based products by Derma Sciences for Comvita for OTC consumer product sales.
“Under Derma’s leadership, the MEDIHONEY brand has grown to be the largest line of medical-grade honey products for advanced wound care use in the world, totaling global sales of approximately $20.0 million in 2016,” said Stephen T. Wills, Executive Chairman of Derma Sciences.
“What is important to Derma Sciences and to the healthcare professionals and patients who benefit from these important products, is security of supply.
“Under the terms of the deal, we have a new 10-year medical honey supply agreement with Comvita, which gives Derma Sciences cost certainty for the first two years and priority of medical honey supply with respect to its needs.
“Comvita has supplied us for more than a decade, and having the backing of Comvita, its supply chain, and related partnerships gives us the confidence to continue to invest in the growth of our MEDIHONEY business.”
Derma Sciences is a tissue regeneration company focused on advanced wound and burn care. It is engaged in the development and commercialization of novel proprietary regenerative products derived from placental/birth tissues for use in a broad range of clinical applications including the treatment of complex chronic wounds, acute wounds and localized areas of injury or inflammation, in addition to filling soft tissue defects or voids.