Schwarz Pharma has acquired all remaining rights to the rotigotine compound from Aderis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., USA.

In addition to the remaining rights to rotigotine, the agreement includes certain financial rights associated with other Aderis assets thus offering additional upside-potential. The transaction will be treated as a one-time, non-recurring, in-process R&D expense of approximately Euro 58 million.

"We are very pleased with this acquisition as it makes strong financial sense at a time when rotigotine is under review for approval in the US and Europe," stated Patrick Schwarz-Schütte, CEO of Schwarz Pharma AG. "With this transaction we buy-out the future rotigotine royalties and milestones which enhances our profitability once the drug is on the market. This acquisition further underlines our commitment to this promising compound."

Schwarz Pharma had licensed the worldwide development and marketing rights to rotigotine from Aderis in 1998, which was subject to royalty and milestone payments. Schwarz Pharma has filed marketing applications for the rotigotine transdermal system for the treatment of early stage Parkinson's disease with the European and US regulatory authorities. The rotigotine transdermal system is also being developed for the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome, which is currently in Phase III. Phase I trials with rotigotine formulated as a nasal spray for acute symptoms of Parkinson's disease were completed in April 2005, with Phase II to start at the end of this year.