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°®¶¹´«Ã½. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President & CEO: Haruo Naito, “Eisai”) announced today that it has decided to officially expand sales of its Chocola BB series of products, the company's leading consumer healthcare brand in Japan, into Asia. The company will start this expansion with the launch of Chocola BB® Drink Bit as a food product in Hong Kong on March 1.

The Chocola BB series of products has been widely used by people in Japan as a reliable healthcare product brand since the introduction of the first Chocola BB product in 1952. In recent years, however, healthcare needs in other Asian countries have been growing in line with economic growth in the region, with notable growth still taking place in the Hong Kong healthcare market. Eisai seeks to meet these healthcare needs by making the Chocola BB series of products, which has long been loved by people all over Japan, ready available to consumers in Hong Kong. Following the launch of Chocola BB® Drink Bit in Hong Kong, the company also plans to move forward with the expansion of sales of the Chocola BB series into China with a view to expanding into other parts of Asia in the future. Eisai will make the drink available to consumers in Hong Kong through a local distributor.

Chocola BB® Drink Bit is a drink that contains vitamin B 2, vitamin B 6 and coix seed extract, all ingredients essential for skin care, and is effective in alleviating rough, dry skin and other skin trouble from the inside out. Chocola BB® Drink Bit is low in calories compared to other products in the Chocola BB drink series, and as it does not contain any caffeine, it can be consumed before bedtime. The drink's refreshing and easy-to-drink flavor was rated highly by women in Hong Kong. In Japan, Chocola BB® Drink Bit has been available as an over-the-counter vitamin drink since October 2008.

By marketing the Chocola BB series of products, which support beauty and wellness, Eisai seeks to make contributions to addressing the diversified healthcare needs of and increasing the benefits provided to people in both Japan and other parts of Asia.

[ Please refer to the following notes for a product outline and image ]