Cigarette makers Philip Morris International and Altria Group will cooperate on marketing and developing reduced risk products including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, the companies said.

Altria’s e-cigarette products will be marketed outside the US by PMI, and two heated tobacco products developed by PMI will be marketed in the US by Altria. The companies said they will cooperate on scientific assessments and improvement of those products, and in obtaining regulatory approval.
“Further to our plans for international test market introduction of our candidate reduced-risk products as of the second-half of 2014, this agreement establishes a roadmap for commercialization in the US, subject to FDA (Food and Drug Administration) authorization. At the same time, it provides us with a platform to accelerate our entry into international e-cigarette markets while we continue to develop future versions,” said André Calantzopoulos, PMI’s chief executive.
Altria Chief Executive Officer Marty Barrington said “these agreements create an important opportunity to commercialize our e-vapor products internationally through a strategic partnership with PMI.”