Æterna Zentaris has terminated its agreement with Sanofi-aventis US signed on March 5, 2009 for the development, commercialisation and licensing of cetrorelix in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) for the US market. The company made the decision following the Sanofi’s announcement of the results for its European Phase 3 study for Cetrorelix in BPH. Termination of the agreement will be effective January 9, 2010.
Reportedly, Cetrorelix, a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonist, had been the object of a Phase 3 program in BPH, which, as announced by the company did not meet its primary endpoint.
Juergen Engel, president and CEO of Æterna Zentaris, said: “The termination of our agreement with Sanofi-aventis was expected in light of last week’s announcement. Our clinical development efforts will now be focused on the following late-stage compounds: in oncology, Keryx, our partner and licensee in North America, has just initiated a Phase 3 trial in multiple myeloma with perifosine, our oral PI3K/Akt inhibitor compound.
“We are also currently evaluating further development plans for AEZS-108, our targeted doxorubicin conjugate, after recent positive Phase 2 results in ovarian and endometrial cancer. In endocrinology, we are in the process of reactivating a Phase 3 trial with our oral ghrelin agonist, AEZS-130, as a diagnostic test for adult growth hormone deficiency.”