Sanofi has bagged a licence  to sell a couple of investigational integrated aspirin therapies developed by Pozen for the reduction of gastric ulcers for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi will have exclusive US rights to commercialise Pozen's PA8140 and PA32540 tablets, which combine immediate-release omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor and enteric-coated aspirin in a single tablet. Cashwise, the latter will receive an upfront fee of $15 million and be eligible for precommercial payments of up to $20 million, plus other future milestones and royalties.

Sanofi will have responsibility for all sales, marketing, ongoing manufacturing and future development for the two 'PA' products, while Pozen will concentrate on obtaining approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. The application was accepted for filing in May and will transfer over to Sanofi.

PA32540 contains 325mg of aspirin while PA8140 has 81mg. Specifically, the products are being developed for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients at risk for aspirin-induced gastric ulcers.

Pozen chief executive John Plachetka said that “we have been excited about the results of our Phase III clinical trials”, adding that “Sanofi's dominant CV heritage and strong commitment to PA, make them the right partner for these products”.