Healthcare Industry News: S.A.
News Release - June 10, 2008
Otsuka and UCB agreed to co-develop and co-promote Keppra(R) and Cimzia(R) in Japan
* Otsuka and UCB have agreed to co-promote UCB'S.A.ti epileptic drug, Keppra® and itS.A.ti-TNF alpha drug, Cimzia® in Japan - the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world. Otsuka will also co-develop new indications.* Over time, UCB receives upfront and milestone payments of up to EUR 113 million as well as funding for clinical development.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM--(Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network)--Jun 10, 2008 -- Brussels, Belgium and Tokyo, Japan - June 10, 2008 at 7:00 am CEST - UCB and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. announced today that the companies have signed collaboration agreements related to UCB's two important products in Japan. UCB and Otsuka will co-promote the anti-epileptic drug (AED), Keppra® (levetiracetam) for the adjunctive treatment of partial onset seizureS.A.d the anti-TNF alpha drug, Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) for the treatment of Crohn's DiS.A.e. UCB and Otsuka will also co-develop and co-promote Keppra® and Cimzia® in other indications. UCB will join Otsuka in co-promoting the anti-platelet agent Pletaal® (ciloS.A.ol) to selected accounts for a limited period.
"We are excited to enter into this important strategic relationship with Otsuka, which is one of the top Japanese pharmaceutical companieS.A.d which haS.A. excellent reputation in drug development, marketing and saleS.A.d an entrepreneurial culture that is consistent with our own," said Roch Doliveux, CEO UCB. "This relationship will ensure that together we can successfully launch and maximize the potential of Keppra® and Cimzia® in Japan and accelerate market access for the benefit of patients in Japan."
"We highly evaluate these compoundS.A.d UCB's experience in thiS.A.ea," said Tatsuo Higuchi, president and representative director of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. "We are delighted to have this opportunity to collaborate with UCB to address the unmet medical needs of patients suffering from these diS.A.eS.A.d to develop these innovative productS.A.d expand our businesses together."
UCB and Otsuka have agreed on economic terms for Japan under which UCB receives up to EUR 113 million upfront and milestone paymentS.A. well as funding for the clinical development of Keppra® and Cimzia®.
The companies plan to submit filing dossiers for Keppra® in epilepsy and Cimzia® in Crohn's diS.A.e to the Japanese PharmaceuticalS.A.d Medical DeviceS.A.ency (PMDA) by early 2009.
About Otsuka
Founded in 1964, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. iS.A.global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: 'Otsuka - people creating new products for better health worldwide.' Otsuka reS.A.ches, develops, manufactureS.A.d markets innovative and original products, with a focus on pharmaceutical products for the treatment of diS.A.eS.A.d consumer products for the maintenance of everyday health. Otsuka is committed to being a corporation that creates global value, adhering to the high ethical S.A.dards required of a company involved in human health and life, maintaining a dynamic corporate culture, and working in harmony with local communitieS.A.d the natural environment.
The Otsuka Pharmaceutical Group comprises 104 companieS.A.d employS.A.proximately 33,000 people in 18 countrieS.A.d regions worldwide. Otsuka and its consolidated subsidiaries earned JPY928.4 billion in annual revenues in fiS.A. 2007.
About UCB
UCB (Brussels, Belgium) (www.ucb-group.com) iS.A.global leader in the biopharmaceutical industry dedicated to the reS.A.ch, development and commercialization of innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology products in the fields of central nervous system disorders, allergy/respiratory diS.A.es, immune and inflammatory disorderS.A.d oncology. UCB focuses on securing a leading position in severe diS.A.e categories. Employing around 12 000 people in over 40 countries, UCB achieved revenue of EUR 3.6 billion in 2007. UCB S.A. is listed on Euronext Brussels.
About Keppra®
Keppra® (levetiracetam) iS.A. antiepileptic drug with over two million patient years experience. Keppra® was first approved in 1999 (US) and 2000 (EU) aS.A.junctive therapy in the treatment of partial onset seizures in adults with epilepsy. Since this time it has received several supplemental indicationS.A. adjunctive therapy across both partial and generalised seizures types in the US.A.d the EU. In Keppra® iS.A.so approved as monotherapy in the EU for the treatment of partial onset seizures in adults with epilepsy.
About Cimzia®
Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) is the first and only PEGylated anti-TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha). Cimzia® haS.A.high affinity for human TNF-alpha, selectively neutralizing the pathophysiological effects of TNF-alpha. Over the past decade, TNF-alpha has emerged aS.A.major target of basic reS.A.ch and clinical investigation. This cytokine playS.A.key role in mediating pathological inflammation, and excess TNF-alpha production has been directly implicated in a wide variety of diS.A.es. UCB is developing Cimzia® in Crohn's diS.A.e, RA and other autoimmune diS.A.e indications. For additional information, please refer to the Cimzia® website http://www.cimzia.com
About Pletaal®
Pletaal®/Pletal® (ciloS.A.ole) iS.A. antiplatelet agent that exhibitS.A.tiplatelet and vasodilatory effectS.A.d improves endothelial cells by selectively inhibiting intracellular PDE3 (cGMP-inhibited phosphodiesterase) activity. The agent improveS.A.terial circulation disorders through the antithrombotic effects from the antiplatelet aggregation, the increase in the cerebral blood flow and the blood flow in the lower extremities from the vasodilatory action, and also through the endothelial cell improvement. The drug therefore improves the subjective symptoms of chronic arterial obstruction and prevents recurrence of cerebral infarction.
Forward looking S.A.ement
This press release contains forward-looking S.A.ements based on current plans, estimateS.A.d beliefs of management. Such S.A.ementS.A.e subject to riskS.A.d uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those that may be implied by such forward-looking S.A.ements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, businesS.A.d competitive conditions, effects of future judicial decisions, changes in regulation, exchange rate fluctuationS.A.d hiring and retention of its employees.
Source: UCB
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