As part of the deal, Ardelyx would also be eligible to get royalties on product sales as well as retain an option to participate in co-promotional activities for the US market.
Ardelyx CEO Mike Raab said, "Sanofi’s R&D and commercial capabilities in phosphate management are rivaled by no other company, including their ability to test and understand our NaP2b inhibitor compounds in relation to phosphate binders and other available phosphate management strategies."
The NaP2b program includes a portfolio of minimally-absorbed NaP2b inhibitors in discovery and preclinical stage of development,
The deal will give Sanofi full responsibility for further discovery efforts and development of any products.
NaP2b is an intestinal phosphate transporter whose activity accounts for a significant portion of dietary phosphate absorption in humans.
The company said that inhibition of NaP2b should have utility for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia (elevated serum phosphate) in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and other forms of chronic kidney disease (CKD).