Bayer HealthCare (BHC) has purchased the European business for Boehringer Ingelheim's blood pressure treatment telmisartan (Pritor and PritorPlus) from GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) with an annual turnover of approximately EUR 65 million in 2005.

Telmisartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), is a long-acting anti-hypertensive treatment that provides powerful 24 hour blood pressure control. It is effective, has a favourable safety profile, and provides blood pressure protection, even in the risky early morning hours where the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke is at its highest. With a growth rate of about 15 per cent ARBs, are the fastest growing and the most competitive segment in the European hypertension market, states a Bayer release.

With this acquisition BHC will gain the right to market the drug in Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Portugal and 22 smaller European markets. The companies agreed not to disclose the financial terms of the transaction.

"The acquisition of Pritor provides an excellent strategic fit for Bayer HealthCare´s pharma business. The transaction allows us to utilize our excellent market knowledge and experience with the product in already existing telmisartan markets," said Wolfgang Plischke, president of Bayer HealthCare's Pharmaceuticals Division.

Therewith BHC expands the number of markets in which it sells the product. Bayer HealthCare has had a co-marketing agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim since 2002. Under that agreement BHC promotes telmisartan under the brand name Kinzalmono and Kinzalkomb in markets across Europe including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Finland, added the release.

Telmisartan was discovered and developed by Boehringer Ingelheim who markets the compound under the trademark Micardis in 84 countries around the world, including the US, Japan and European countries. GlaxoSmithKline will continue to promote telmisartan as Pritor under a co-marketing agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim in five countries.