PROSTRAKAN, the Bordersbased biotech, yesterday said it had extended its commercial rights to two prescription medicines from US partner Cellegy Pharmaceuticals to Russia and other former Soviet Union countries.

The company said it secured the extra rights on Tostrex, a testosterone deficiency gel treatment, and Rectogesic, an ointment for the treatment of anal fissures, by changing the timing on milestone payments it will give to Cellegy on regulatory approvals.

Galashiels-based ProStrakan said the deal on Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States does not entail any increase in the total amount it has to pay Cellegy.

ProStrakan acquired the EU commercialisation rights to Tostrex and Rectogesic from San Francisco-based drug developer Cellegy in 2004.

Tostrex is a testosterone gel product for male hypogonadism. It was launched in Sweden in September 2005 and has since achieved a 25-per cent share of the testosterone gel market.

Rectogesic is the only medicine licensed for treating pain associated with chronic anal fissures. Since its launch in the UK in May last year, it has built up annualised sales in excess of pounds-1.5m.

EU mutual recognition procedures for both medicines were concluded earlier this year, and local EU country marketing authorisations are now in the process of being issued.

In April, ProStrakan successfully concluded the European Union Mutual Recognition Procedure for Tostrex and said that national licences would be issued in due course in the 19 additional European countries included in the MRP application.

Rectogesic was given European approval in March.