Sanofi and Lilly agree licensing deal for Cialis

Sanofi has agreed a deal with Lilly that will see the companies work together to secure regulatory approval of over-the-counter (OTC) Cialis, an erectile dysfunction therapy currently available through prescription only.

The agreement will give Sanofi exclusive rights to apply for approval of Cialis OTC in the US, Europe, Canada and Australia. It will also be entitled to market Cialis OTC in these territories following Sanofi's receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals.

Cialis was first approved in Europe in 2002 and in the US the following year. It is now available in more than 120 countries and has recorded total global sales of more than $14 billion (8.37 billion pounds) since launch.

Following the expiration of certain patents, Sanofi and Lilly have identified an opportunity to make the drug more widely accessible to men worldwide.

Vincent Warnery, senior vice-president for the global consumer healthcare division at Sanofi, said: "This agreement provides us with an opportunity to work with Lilly, a leader in men's health, to transform how this important medicine is offered to millions of men throughout the world."

The product is also available in a number of other indications, including for men with the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia.