July 28, 2014

ONO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. MEIJI SEIKA PHARMA CO., LTD. Ono and Meiji Seika Pharma enter into an agreement on development and commercialization of Limaprost in Thailand and Indonesia

ONO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. (Osaka, Japan; President, Representative Director and CEO: Gyo Sagara, "Ono") and Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan; President and Representative Director: Daikichiro Kobayashi, "Meiji") announced today that the companies entered into an agreement on development and commercialization of Limaprost alfadex*1 owned by Ono ("Limaprost", product name in Japan: Opalmon®) in Thailand and Indonesia.
Under this agreement, Ono will grant Meiji the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize Limaprost for the treatment of lumber spinal canal stenosis*2 etc. in Thailand and Indonesia. Meiji will pay an upfront payment and development milestones to Ono and will develop and sell Limaprost through its local subsidiaries. After the launch of Limaprost in Thailand and Indonesia, Meiji will pay royalties and sales milestones to Ono based on achievement of projected sales of Limaprost. Meanwhile, Ono retains the rights to co-promote Limaprost with Meiji in Thailand and Indonesia.
Through this collaboration, Ono and Meiji wish to provide Limaprost to, and contribute to the treatment of, the patients with the lumber spinal canal stenosis etc. for which no effective drug is available in Thailand and Indonesia.

1. About limaprost alfadex

Limaprost alfadex is an oral prostaglandin E1 analogue with blood flow increasing effect through peripheral vasodilatation and inhibitory effect of platelet aggregation. It was approved for the treatment of ischemic symptoms such as skin ulcer, pain and coldness
accompanying thromboangiitis obliterans in 1988 and for the treatment of subjective symptoms such as pain and numbness of lower leg and walking disability associated with acquired lumber spinal canal stenosis (in patients with bilateral intermittent claudication showing normal Straight Leg Raising (SLR) test result) as an additional indication in 2001.

2. About lumbar spinal canal stenosis

Lumbar spinal canal stenosis is mainly observed among the elderly people. Age-related changes in a bone (deformation of intervertebral joints and vertebra) and/or hypertrophy of the ligaments that cover the inner wall of the spinal canal contribute to a narrowing of the lumen of the lumbar spinal canal. Such a narrowed lumen contributes to poor blood circulation of the cauda equina, leading to lack of nutrition in the area and eventually resulting in neurologic functional impairment. As a result, pain and numbness are caused in lower limbs, which consequently lead to difficulty in walking (intermittent claudication) in many cases.

Contacts:

MEIJI SEIKA PHARMA CO., LTD. ONO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. Corporate Development Department Corporate Communications

Mail:public_relations@ono.co.jp

distributed by