EA Pharma Co., Ltd.
EA Pharma Co., Ltd. (President, Hidenori Yabune; Headquarters, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; "EA Pharma") announced today that EA Pharma signed a license agreement with Pathalys Pharma, Inc. (President, Neal Fowler; Headquarters, North Carolina, USA; “Pathalys”) to grant Pathalys a worldwide exclusive license to develop and market a secondary hyperparathyroidism treatment for patients receiving hemodialysis (Development code, AJT240; Nonproprietary name, upacicalcet sodium hydrate) except Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and ASEAN countries.
Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is one of the complications that occurs with progression of chronic renal disease (chronic renal failure). In SHPT, the parathyroid glands excessively secrete parathyroid hormone (PTH). Excessive PTH promotes efflux of phosphorus and calcium from bone into the blood. This results in decline of bone density and increase of bone fracture risk. In addition, phosphorus and calcium are deposited in non-bone tissues (ectopic calcification) to cause arthralgia or other symptoms. Particularly, there has been reported that, when the deposition occurs in the cardiovascular system, the risk of cardiovascular diseases including arteriosclerosis increases and even can affect prognosis.
AJT240 directly acts on calcium-sensing receptor on the cell membrane of parathyroid glands and suppresses the excessive secretion of PTH. AJT240 is an intravenous injection that can be administered through the dialysis circuit intravenously at the end of a dialysis process. This is expected to improve medication adherence of patients receiving maintenance dialysis and reduce the gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting and the like that are observed in treatment with existing oral SHPT drugs.
EA Pharma expects that the above license granted to Pathalys will contribute to fulfillment of the unmet medical needs of patients with SHPT receiving hemodialysis in the world.
EA Pharma will strive to make a contribution to patients, their families and medical practitioners in the world through development of pharmaceuticals focusing on the gastrointestinal disease area and creation of new patient value.
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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/
Pathalys Pharma, Inc. is a private, late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company committed to the development of advanced therapeutics that address unmet needs in the management of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Pathalys’ initial asset is upacicalcet, a novel calcimimetic with the potential to improve the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). Beyond upacicalcet, Pathalys continues to identify other high priority needs and potential solutions for patients with ESKD. Pathalys was seeded by Catalys Pacific and DaVita Venture Group and is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
For more information about Pathalys Pharma, lnc., please visit https://www.pathalys.com/