AstraZeneca has agreed to sell the global commercial rights to Inderal, Tenormin, Tenoretic, Zestril and Zestoretic to Atnahs Pharma.

The agreement excludes the rights in the US and India, which were previously divested, and in Japan, which will be retained by AstraZeneca.

The medicines, used primarily to treat hypertension, have lost their patent protection globally.

“These are important established medicines, and the divestment to Atnahs ensures they will continue to be available to patients. This transaction supports our strategy to realise value from our portfolio of non-core mature brands, enabling further investment in new medicines,” says Ruud Dobber, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca.

AstraZeneca will continue to manufacture and supply Inderal, Tenormin, Tenoretic, Zestril and Zestoretic to Atnahs during a transition period.

An upfront payment of $350 million

Atnahs will make an upfront payment of $350 million to AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca may also receive future sales-contingent payments of up to $40m between 2020 and 2022. Income arising from the upfront and future payments will be reported in AstraZeneca’s financial statements within Other Operating Income & Expense.

In 2018, Inderal, Tenormin, Tenoretic, Zestril and Zestoretic generated annual sales of $132 million in the markets covered by this agreement. The divestment is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances.

Photo of Ruud Dobber: AstraZeneca