Otsuka Holdings Co Ltd : Otsuka Pharmaceutical and UCB focus collaboration in the area of Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders (51KB)
01/13/2012| 01:26am US/Eastern
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Company name Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. Representative Tatsuo
Higuchi
President and Representative Director, CEO Code number 4578
First Section , Tokyo Stock Exchange Inquiries Takuma
Kimura
Director, Investors Relations Department
Otsuka Pharmaceutical and UCB
focus collaboration in the area of Central Nervous System
(CNS) disorders
Collaboration between Otsuka and UCB in the therapeutic area
of immunology to discontinue
UCB to further develop its immunology pipeline in Japan,
starting with plans to bring certolizumab pegol to rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) patients in Japan
Tokyo, Japan and Brussels, Belgium (13th
January, 2012) - Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a
wholly owned direct subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.,
and UCB announced today that the companies have agreed to
focus their collaboration on the therapeutic area of Central
Nervous System (CNS) disorders and to discontinue their
collaboration in immunology.
The companies will end their co-development and co-promotion
agreement for certolizumab pegol in
Japan followed by an agreed upon transition period.
UCB is preparing to file certolizumab pegol for marketing
authorisation with the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour
and Welfare (MHLW) in the first quarter of 2012. Positive
Japanese Study Results, showing that certolizumab pegol was
associated with significant inhibition of structural joint
damage progression and significant improvements in physical
function compared to placebo, were published
at the recent American College of Rheumatology's (ACR) 2011
Annual Scientific Meeting.1
The decision to discontinue its collaboration in immunology
is in line with Otsuka Pharmaceutical's clear priorities to
focus in the future on CNS and oncology in its pharmaceutical
business.
In December 2011, Otsuka Pharmaceutical filed rotigotine for
marketing authorisation in Japan with the MHLW for the
treatment of Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome.
In 2010, E Keppra® (levetiracetam), was approved
and launched in Japan for the adjunctive treatment of partial
onset seizures in adults with epilepsy which offers many
patients a new option of treatment.
"Otsuka will strengthen the partnership with UCB in Japan
while focusing on CNS compounds such as E Keppra®, an
anti-epileptic drug, and rotigotine, a dopamine agonist
patch," said Dr. Taro Iwamoto, President and Representative
Director of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. "we remain
dedicated to maximising the value of these two compounds
while continuing to investigate additional indications.
Otsuka and UCB will build a strong sales base so that our
compounds can positively contribute to a number of patients
in need."
"We are happy to continue our successful partnership
with Otsuka Pharmaceutical in the area of CNS, namely E
Keppra® and rotigotine." said Mark McDade, Executive VP,
Chief Operating Officer, UCB. "And in the interest of
Japanese patients living with severe immunological disorders,
UCB is committed to building on the franchises of the
immunology therapeutic area in Japan starting with
certolizumab pegol.
1 For more information about the certolizumab
pegol data, please read the
press release distributed at the ACR 2011 in
Chicago.
About Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
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 researches, develops, manufactures and
markets innovative and original products, with a focus on
pharmaceutical products for the treatment of diseases, and
consumer products for the maintenance of everyday health.
Otsuka is committed to being a corporation that creates
global value, adhering to high ethical standards required of
a company involved in human health and life, maintaining a
dynamic corporate culture, and working in harmony with local
communities and the natural environment.
About UCB
UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global
biopharmaceutical company focused on the
discovery and development of innovative medicines and
solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe
diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous
system. With more than 8
500 people in about 40 countries, the company generated
revenue of EUR 3.2 billion in 2010. UCB is listed on Euronext
Brussels (symbol: UCB).
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