Eli Lilly ($LLY) is reportedly in early talks with Turkish generics maker Mustafa Nevzat Ilac Sanayii AS, also known as MN. The talks possibly concern a partnership or investment.
A union of the two would give Lilly access to the low-cost product manufacturing, local distribution and regulatory expertise MN has in place, reports the Wall Street Journal. Turkey also serves a gateway to Asia.
MN makes generic antibiotics and would enjoy an expansive Western distribution network.
The Indianapolis drug giant recently reaped the benefits of a tie-up with Boehringer Ingelheim in a disease--rather than geographic--market deal. The collaborators are targeting diabetes and last month earned European regulatory approved for linagliptin, one of several late-stage diabetes drugs in mid- and late-stage development.
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