EA Pharma Co., Ltd.
Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
(Code 4547, Tokyo Stock Exchange 1st Section)
EA Pharma Co., Ltd. (President, Hidenori Yabune; Headquarters, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; "EA Pharma") and Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Matsumoto, Nagano; Chairman and CEO: Mutsuo Kanzawa; "Kissei") announced that the two companies signed an agreement to change the marketing scheme for their anti-ulcerative colitis products “RECTABUL® 2 mg Rectal Foam 14 Doses” and AJM300 (nonproprietary name: carotegrast methyl), the latter is under marketing approval examination.
For RECTABUL®, EA Pharma and Kissei concluded a joint development and marketing agreement in March 2015. While EA Pharma holds the ownership to marketing approval of RECTABUL®, both EA Pharma and Kissei have distributed the product since December 2017. For AJM300 also, the two companies concluded an agreement likewise in March 2015, under which the two companies jointly developed the product to file the application for marketing approval under EA Pharma’s name in May 2021. Both EA Pharma and Kissei were to distribute AJM300 after obtainment of the approval. According to the new agreement, however, one company undertakes distribution of one product, and the other undertakes the copromotion, and vice versa.
Under the new agreement, RECTABUL® will be distributed by EA Pharma with copromotion by Kissei from April 1, 2022. AJM300, once the marketing approval is obtained, will be distributed by Kissei with copromotion by EA Pharma. EA Pharma continues to hold the ownership of the marketing approvals of the two products.
After change of the marketing scheme, EA Pharma and Kissei continue to strive to increase treatment options for ulcerative colitis to contribute to QOL (Quality of Life) of patients and their families.
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EA Pharma Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd. for gastrointestinal disease area, was established in April 2016 by integration of the gastrointestinal business unit with more than 60 year’s history of the Eisai Group and the gastrointestinal business unit of the Ajinomoto Group having amino acid as its business core. EA Pharma Co., Ltd., is a gastrointestinal specialty pharmaceutical company with a full value chain covering R&D, production & logistics and sales & marketing.
For further information on EA Pharma Co., Ltd., please visit https://www.eapharma.co.jp/en/
4. About RECTABUL®
RECTABUL®, an in-licensed product of EA Pharma from Dr. Falk Pharma (Germany), is the first foam product for rectal enema (rectal foam) in Japan. EA Pharma and Kissei have jointly developed this product for the Japanese market, and EA Pharma obtained the marketing approval. Since the dosage form is a foam, the drug stays in the rectum and the sigmoid colon after reaching them, and leakage after administration is avoided.
5. About AJM300 (nonproprietary name: carotegrast methyl)
In ulcerative colitis, lymphocytes and other inflammatory cells excessively aggregate and invade into the inflamed site in the colonic mucosa. AJM300 can antagonize both α4β1 and α4β7 integrins expressed on the surface of inflammatory and inhibit the cell adhesion mediated by binding to adhesion molecules excessively expressed on the vascular endotherial cells in the colonic mucosa, which suppresses invasion of lymphocytes into the inflamed site to exert anti-inflammation effects.