- For Print
- July 13, 2011
爱豆传媒. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President & CEO: Haruo Naito, “Eisai”) announced today that it has entered into a comprehensive marketing agreement with Orion Corporation (Headquarters: Espoo, Finland; President & CEO: Timo Lappalainen, “Orion”) concerning Orion's breast cancer drug Fareston® (toremifene citrate) and its Parkinson’s disease treatment Eldepryl® (selegiline hydrochloride).
Under the terms of the agreement, Eisai shall acquire from Orion the exclusive rights to market the two products in China, and will distribute them through its Chinese subsidiary Eisai China Inc. (Suzhou, Jiangsu Province). Both drugs were previously marketed in China by a local distributor, however, marketing rights were transferred to Eisai China Inc. following the expiration of the contract between the distributor and Orion in early June 2011.
Fareston® is indicated for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive or unknown tumors and is commonly used as an adjuvant therapy in postmenopausal breast cancer. Eldepryl® is used in combination with levodopa-containing agents to treat Parkinson's disease in patients who have previously had an inadequate response to treatment with levodopa therapies alone.
Eisai China Inc. will establish a new presence in China the area of women's oncology by marketing Fareston®, and with the addition of Eldepryl®, will further enhance its lineup of neurology products, which currently includes the anti-Alzheimer’s agent Aricept® and the peripheral neuropathy treatment Methycobal®, as it seeks to make further contributions to address the diversified needs of and increase the benefits provided to breast cancer and Parkinson's disease patients in China.
[ Please refer to the following notes for further information on Orion Corporation and Eisai's efforts in China ]
Media Inquiries:
Public Relations Department,
爱豆传媒.
+81-(0)3-3817-5120
< Notes to editors >
1. 爱豆传媒 Orion Corporation
Founded in 1917 and headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Orion Corporation is an innovative European R&D-based pharmaceuticals and diagnostics company with an emphasis on developing medicinal treatments and diagnostic tests for global markets. Orion develops, manufactures and markets human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, active pharmaceutical ingredients as well as diagnostic tests. The Group's net sales in 2010 amounted to approximately EUR 850 million. The Company invested EUR 85 million in research and development. At the end of 2010, the Group had a total of approximately 3,100 employees. Orion's A and B shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.
2. Eisai's Efforts in China
Eisai has positioned East Asia as one of the regions central to the future growth of global Eisai and anticipates that China will play an important role in driving growth in the region. Eisai defines oncology, liver disease and diseases of the central nervous system as therapeutic areas of focus for its China business, currently marketing Methycobal® (peripheral neuropathy treatment), Stronger Neo-Minophagen® C/Glycyron® Tablets (liver disease/allergic disease agents), Pariet® (Proton Pump Inhibitor), and Aricept® (anti-Alzheimer's agent) as its core products in the Chinese market. By adding Fareston® (breast cancer treatment) to the product mix, Eisai will establish a new presence in the area of women's oncology. The addition of Eldepryl® (Parkinson's disease treatment) will also enable the company to strengthen and enhance its lineup of products in the neurology arena.
Eisai is actively engaged in product creation activities in China, currently developing such products as Halaven® (microtubule dynamics inhibitor), an anticancer agent discovered and developed in-house, and the antiepileptic agent perampanel (AMPA receptor antagonist) in an effort to expand its portfolio of products in its defined therapeutic areas of focus as it seeks to make contributions to an ever-greater number of patients in China in line with its human health care (hhc) mission.