AcelRx leaps on news of licensing deals

Shares of US drugmaker AcelRx Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ACRX) shot up 23.8% to $1.51 yesterday, after the company announced agreements with French family-owned company Laboratoire Aguettant, providing the later with a license to commercialize Dzuveo (sufentanil) sublingual tablet in Europe, and providing AcelRx with two innovative pre-filled syringe product candidates for the USA.

Under the Dzuveo licensing agreement, Aguettant will have the right to commercialize the drug in Europe. The European Commission cleared marketing of the drug in 2018, for the management of acute moderate to severe pain in adults in medically monitored settings. It is approved under the trade name Dsuvia in the USA, where AcelRx has previously forecast that the drug could achieve annual sales of $1 billion.

AcelRx is entitled to receive up to around $55 million in a combination of up-front and sales-based milestone payments at various annual sales levels from Aguettant, along with revenue share payments ranging from 35% to 45% of net sales. AcelRx will manufacture and supply Dzuveo to Aguettant at an agreed supply price.