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Eisai Inc. (Headquarters: New Jersey, Chairman: Hajime Shimizu), a U.S. subsidiary of °®¶¹´«Ã½. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President & CEO: Haruo Naito), today announced the signing of a U.S. co-promotion agreement with Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (Headquarters: North Carolina, President and CEO: Carolyn Logan) in which Eisai receives exclusive rights to co-promote “COLAZAL®” (balsalazide disodium) Capsules 750 mg, and balsalazide disodium 1100 mg tablets, if and when approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“COLAZAL®” is a 5-aminosalicyclic acid (5-ASA) agent approved by FDA for the treatment of mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis. Salix submitted a New Drug Application to the FDA in July, 2007 seeking approval to market a 1100 mg tablet formulation of balsalazide disodium for the treatment of mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis.

Along with successful marketing of its proton pump inhibitor “AcipHex®” (rabeprazole sodium), this co-promotion reinforces Eisai's presence in gastroenterology in the U.S. and further increases benefits to patients and their families.

[Please see the following notes for the corporate profiles of Salix Pharmaceuticals]