AEterna buys AEZS-130 from Ardana for $232K

US drugmaker AEterna Zentaris has acquired the rights to growth hormone secretagogue, AEZS-130, from cash-strapped Scottish firm Ardana  Biosciences for $232,000. These assets include development data,  inventory of compound and regulatory authorizations, including  Investigational New Drug and orphan drug status as a diagnostic test  granted in the USA, as well as a patent application protect-ing its use  as diagnostic.

Edinburgh, UK-based Ardana went into administration last year,  suspending the sale of its ordinary shares before its cash reserves  completely ran out (Marketletter July 7, 2008). The firm had developed  AEZS-130 up to the initiation of Phase III trials in the USA for use as  an oral diagnostic of growth hormone secretion deficiency. In addition,  the agent also has potential applications for the treatment of cachexia,  a condition frequently associated with severe chronic diseases such as  cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and AIDS.