AEterna Zentaris signed a development, commercialization and licensing agreement with Sanofi-Aventis for cetrorelix in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) for the U.S. market. Cetrorelix, a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonist, is currently in Phase III development for BPH, a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate.

Under the terms of the agreement, AEterna Zentaris will receive an initial $30 million in upfront payments and is eligible to receive as much as $135 million in additional payments based on certain regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as royalties on future sales in the U.S. Sanofi-Aventis will be responsible for the commercialization and booking of sales in the U.S., however, AEterna Zentaris has retained certain rights to co-promote cetrorelix for BPH in the U.S. Sanofi-Aventis may perform future Phase IIIb and Phase IV trials, while AEterna Zentaris will have free access to all data for other territories.

"We are delighted to have a partner such as Sanofi-Aventis who has a proven track record in urology. This partnership marks an important milestone in our quest to bring cetrorelix to market, which could provide millions of men with a novel treatment for BPH. Furthermore, this compound could generate significant long-term revenue for the company while building value for our shareholders," said Juergen Engel, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of AEterna Zentaris.