AnorMED Inc. has announced that under the terms of an existing agreement, AnorMED will receive a US $3 million milestone payment from Shire Pharmaceuticals Group, plc based on the recent licensing approval received in Germany by Shire to sell FOSRENOL as a treatment for high phosphate levels in the blood, which occurs in patients undergoing dialysis as a result of chronic kidney failure.

"We are pleased with the further marketing approval granted for FOSRENOL, which was the first product discovered by AnorMED approved for marketing," said Paul Brennan, AnorMED's Acting President and vice president of Business Development. "Our productive R&D team continues to be a valuable asset for our company and has generated a substantial product pipeline for future development and commercialization."

In March 2004, AnorMED sold the global patent rights for FOSRENOL to Shire. Under the terms of the agreement Shire agreed to pay AnorMED US $18 million when FOSRENOL was approved in the US and US $7 million when FOSRENOL was approved in the relevant European countries. This agreement was also extended to include a US $6 million payment to AnorMED upon regulatory approval in Japan. In consideration of these payments, Shire's royalty obligations to AnorMED would cease throughout the world. To date AnorMED has received US $19 million upon US and EU approvals. In addition to the US $3 million milestone payment on German approval, the company is eligible to receive a further US $3 million milestone payment upon the first approval in one of four additional specified EU countries and a US $6 million payment to AnorMED upon regulatory approval in Japan.