Aventis terminates agreement with ViroPharma.Aventis announced (Bridgewater, NJ; 908-243-6580) that the September 2001 agreement to co-develop and co-promote Picovir (pleconaril) with ViroPharma, Inc. (Exton, PA), has been terminated by mutual decision of the parties. Under the termination agreement, Aventis returned Picovir (ViroPharma's experimental antiviral antiviral /an·ti·vi·ral/ (-vi´ral) destroying viruses or suppressing their replication, or an agent that so acts. an·ti·vi·ral adj. compound for treatment of the common cold in adults) to ViroPharma. Aventis will compensate ViroPharma for Aventis' current share of development and commercial expenses and ViroPharma's detailing fees through August. ViroPharma will return to Aventis advance milestone payments of $20 million. Aventis also purchased 3 million shares of ViroPharma common stock for $4.6 million. In a separate transaction, Aventis will acquire ViroPharma's sales force, which totals nearly 200 people, for a payment to ViroPharma of approximately $15.4 million. The sales force currently promotes products from the Aventis respiratory portfolio -- Nasacort AQ (triamcinolone acetonide triamcinolone acetonide (topical) (as´  tō´nīd),n brand names: ) and the Allegra Al·leg·ra A trademark for the drug fexofenadine hydrochloride. fexofenadine hydrochloride Allegra, Telfast (UK) Pharmacologic class: Peripherally selective piperidine, selective histamine (fexofenadine HCl) family, and will continue to do so after the September 2002 transfer. This acquisition is intended to strengthen the company's growing presence in the respiratory disease Noun 1. respiratory disease - a disease affecting the respiratory system respiratory disorder, respiratory illness adult respiratory distress syndrome, ARDS, wet lung, white lung - acute lung injury characterized by coughing and rales; inflammation of the therapeutic area. Both parties received mutual releases of all obligations without incurring termination fees. In May 2002, the United States Food and Drug Administration United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), n.pr a unit of the Public Health Service created to protect the health of the nation against impure and unsafe foods, drugs, and cosmetics. issued a not approvable letter for Picovir. Aventis is dedicated to improving life by treating and preventing human disease through the discovery and development of innovative pharmaceutical products. Aventis focuses on prescription drugs for important therapeutic areas such as oncology, cardiology cardiology Medical specialty dealing with heart diseases and disorders. It began with the 1749 publication by Jean Baptiste de Sénac of contemporary knowledge of the heart. Diagnostic methods improved in the 19th century, and in 1905 the electrocardiograph was invented. , diabetes, respiratory/allergy, anti-infectives as well as on human vaccines. In 2001, Aventis generated sales of euro 17.7 billion ($15.9 billion), invested approximately euro 3 billion ($2.7 billion) in research and development and employed approximately 75,000 people in its core business. Aventis corporate headquarters is in Strasbourg, France. The company conducts its prescription drug business in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. as Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
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