Sept 17 (Reuters) - Philip Morris International's ( PM )

Vectura Fertin Pharma said on Tuesday it would sell its asthma

inhaler maker Vectura Group to Molex Asia Holdings for 150

million pounds ($198 million).

Marlboro maker PMI bought Vectura in September 2021 as part

of a plan to transform itself into a "broader healthcare and

wellness" group, a shift it said has been hampered by critics.

PMI paid 1.1 billion pounds for Vectura, part of its health

and wellness unit. It has since taken a $680 million impairment

against the unit and abandoned plans to raise $1 billion in net

revenues from the division by 2025.

Jacek Olczak, PMI's CEO, said that while it remained

committed to driving innovation in inhaled medications, Phillips

Medisize, operated by Molex, was better placed to lead Vectura.

It would also release Vectura from "the unreasonable burden

of external constraints and criticism related to our ownership,"

he said.

PMI, whose shares were down 0.77% at 1230 GMT, said the deal

also included potential deferred payments of up to 148 million

pounds.

($1 = 0.7572 pounds)