Sanofi and Chugai to end marketing deal

French drug major Sanofi-Aventis and Japanese pharmaceutical firm Chugai have agreed to terminate their current marketing collaboration on December 31 this year. The deal, which was established through the company's local subsidiary Sanofi-Aventis KK, covered the sale of several Sanofi products in Japan.

Drugs sold under the accord include: the hypertension treatment Acetanol (acebutolol HCl); the beta blocker Amoban (zopiclone) for sleep disorders; the cephem antibiotic Cefotax (cefotaxime sodium); the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor Preran (trandolapril); the pneumonia treatment Benambax (pentamidine isetionate); the anti-inflammatory Menamin (ketoprofen); and the arrhythmia therapy Rythmodan (disopyramide).

Rights to all seven drugs, which achieved revenues of 12.93 billion yen ($108.9 million) for Chugai in the financial year 2006, will be returned to Sanofi on termination of the deal. Further terms were not provided.