Medicis Pediatrics

Medicis Pediatrics, Inc. was a specialty pharmaceutical subsidiary of Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation, primarily focused on the pediatric healthcare market. The company was established following the 2001 acquisition of Ascent Pediatrics and was best known for its lead product, Orapred (prednisolone sodium phosphate), a liquid corticosteroid used to treat acute asthma exacerbations and other inflammatory conditions in children. In 2004, Medicis sold the Ascent Pediatrics business unit, including the rights to Orapred and its specialized pediatric sales force, to BioMarin Pharmaceutical for approximately $175 million. This strategic divestiture allowed Medicis to refocus on its core dermatology and aesthetic medicine portfolios while providing BioMarin with its first commercial product and an established sales infrastructure.