Covis buys rights to five drugs from Sanofi

ZUG, Switzerland — Swiss drug maker Covis Pharma will buy U.S. rights to five drugs from Sanofi, Covis said Thursday.

The drug maker said it would buy full commercial rights to the prostate cancer drug Nilandron (nilutamide); the antimalarial, lupus and arthritis drug Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine); Rilutek (riluzole), used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease; the enlarged prostate drug Uroxatral (alfuzosin hydrochloride); and the high-potassium drug Kayexalate (sodium polystyrene sulfate), under an agreement with Sanofi subsidiary Sanofi-Aventis U.S. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the drugs had sales of $114.6 million in 2012, Covis said.

"We are very pleased to announce the addition of these products to our existing portfolio," Covis CEO Jack Davis said. "Covis will continue to supply consistent, top-quality branded drugs, ensuring that patients receive the therapeutic care they need."