Aventis to licence Altana's ciclesonide

Aventis Pharmaceuticals, the US subsidiary of Aventis SA, and BykGulden, the pharmaceutical group of Altana AG, have entered an agreement to jointly develop and promote the latter company's new-generation inhaled corticosteroid, ciclesonide, for the treatment of asthma. Ciclesonide is currently in Phase III clinical development in the USA, and clinical studies data indicate that the drug has efficacy at least equivalent to existing steroids for asthma, but offers a reduced tendency for steroid-related side effects. Ciclesonide has a peak sales potential of 1 billion euros ($1.42 billion) per year, according to Altana.