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AEterna Zentaris Receives First Regulatory Approval for Impavido® for Parasitic Skin Disease

Frankfurt, Germany (ots)

AEterna Zentaris Inc. (TSX: AEZ;
NASDAQ: AEZS) announced it has received Colombian Food and Drug
Agency approval for Impavido®  (miltefosine), to treat the cutaneous
form of leishmaniasis, a severe parasitic skin disease estimated to
affect millions of people worldwide. This is the first-ever approval
of Impavido®  for this form of leishmaniasis. The approval also
applies for the visceral form (black fever) of leishmaniasis for
which Impavido(R) had already received approval by the Indian and
German Regulatory Authorities. Impavido®  thus becomes the first
orally-administered, breakthrough therapy for both visceral and
cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Impavido® , or miltefosine, is an alkylphospholipid that has been
marketed in India since 2003 through cooperation with the Zydus
Cadila Group and is available in Germany via AEterna Zentaris'
partner Paesel + Lorei. In order to optimize Latin American
distribution of Impavido®  following the approval, AEterna Zentaris
has granted distribution rights for Colombia to Tecnofarma, a leading
Latin American pharmaceutical company. Tecnofarma thus holds rights
to the drug for the entire Latin American territory excluding only
Brazil, where Roche has been granted marketing rights. Tecnofarma is
currently preparing the filing of Impavido®  in several other Latin
American countries.
"Everything is in place for a first delivery of Impavido®  to
Colombia very shortly", said Prof. Jürgen Engel,  Executive Vice
President Gobal R&D and Chief Operation Officer at AEterna Zentaris
and added, "We were hoping that German approval of Impavido® ,
received only in December last year, could form the basis for
registration in other countries where leishmaniasis is endemic, such
as Colombia. Only three months later, we are proud to deliver on that
expectation. It is our goal to place Impavido®  as a worldwide
standard therapy for both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis."
According to Gilles Gagnon, President and Chief Executive Officer
at AEterna Zentaris, the impact of the approval is at least twofold.
"We are excited about the progress of our efforts to make this
innovative drug available to patients. The approval and the
subsequent roll-out of the product also has a strategic dimension in
that we can further diversify the business risk of our pharmaceutical
activities while optimizing return for investors. With two products
on the market generating revenues, Cetrotide®  and Impavido® , we are
further establishing a solid financial basis to support the
development of our promising earlier pipeline projects."
About Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a severe tropical disease, second only to
malaria. Transmitted by sand flies, leishmaniasis affects millions of
people and is, according to the World Health Organisation, endemic in
88 countries throughout the world with nearly 350 million people at
risk. It is estimated that 12 million people currently suffer from
this disease with 1-1.5 million new cases reported annually.
The cure rate of Impavido®  is 95%, even in patients resistant to
antimony-based standard therapy. Symptoms of the visceral form of the
disease include fever, spleen and liver enlargement, blood
deficiencies, bleeding of mucous membranes, and severe weight loss.
If left untreated, visceral leishmaniasis can lead to death within
0.5-2 years. The cutaneous form of leishmaniasis, although not
deadly, is a chronic, severely disfiguring condition.
About Tecnofarma
Tecnofarma is a leading Latin American company engaged in the
production, promotion and marketing of pharmaceutical products.
Founded in 1971, it has established branch companies in fourteen
countries, including Mexico and Central America, with over 1 200
pharmaceutical sales representatives. In 2004, its annual sales were
US$159 million.
About AEterna Zentaris Inc.
AEterna Zentaris Inc. is an oncology and endocrine therapy focused
biopharmaceutical company with proven expertise in drug discovery,
development and commercialization. The Company's broad 20 product
pipeline leverages five different therapeutic approaches, including
LHRH antagonists and signal transduction inhibitors. The lead LHRH
antagonist compound, cetrorelix, is currently marketed for in vitro
fertilization under the brand name Cetrotide(R). Cetrorelix is also
in late-stage clinical development for endometriosis and benign
prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The lead signal transduction inhibitor
compound, perifosine, is an orally-active AKT inhibitor in several
Phase II trials for multiple cancers.
AEterna Zentaris owns 61.1% of Atrium Biotechnologies Inc., a
leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of value-added products
for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, chemical and nutritional
industries.
News releases and additional information about AEterna Zentaris
are available on its Web site www.aeternazentaris.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the
Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements.  Such risks and uncertainties include,
among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue R&D
projects, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies,
the ability of the Company to take advantage of business
opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry, uncertainties related
to the regulatory process and general changes in economic conditions.
 Investors should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings
with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional
information on risks and uncertainties relating to the
forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to rely on
these forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to
update these forward-looking statements.

Contact:

America:
Media Relations
Paul Burroughs
Phone (418) 652-8525 ext. 406
E-Mail: paul.burroughs@aeternazentaris.com

Investor Relations
Ginette Vallières
Phone (418) 652-8525 ext. 265
E-Mail: ginette.vallieres@aeternazentaris.com

Europe :
Investor Relations:
Matthias Seeber
Phone +49 69 42602-3425
E-Mail: matthias.seeber@zentaris.com

Sales & Marketing:
Dr.Mathias Pietras
Phone +49 69 42602-3423
E-Mail: mathias.pietras@zentaris.com

AEterna Zentaris Inc.
1405 du Parc-Technologique Blvd.
Québec (Québec) Canada G1P 4P5
Phone 418 652-8525
Fax 418 652-0881
E-Mail: www.aeternazentaris.com