How many partners does Eisai have?
Like many pharmaceutical companies Eisai does not list the number of partners it has. Some idea of the strength of partnering within the company can be gauged from the fact that a number of its blockbuster drugs are being co-promoted with other companies, for example Aricept with Pfizer Inc and Aciphex with Janssen Pharmaceutica Inc.
Who are Eisai’s partners?
Some of Eisai’s partners include: Abbott, Ajinomoto, Bial-Portela, Biocompatibles International, ChemBridge Corporation, Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, DNDi, Elan Pharmaceutical, GlaxoSmithKline, Helsinn, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Kissei Pharmaceutical, Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Minophagen Pharmaceutical, Novartis Pharma, Pfizer, Quintiles, Sanofi Pasteur, Sanwa Kagaku, SymBio Pharmaceuticals, Teikoku Seiyaku, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, TorreyPines Therapeutics and Toyama Chemical.
What collaborations has Eisai entered into over the past few years?
- In October 2009 Eisai and Quintiles entered a strategic alliance to develop six potential oncology products in Eisai’s research and development pipeline. Under the terms of the agreement, Quintiles’ oncology experts will conduct Phase II proof-of-concept studies for 11 solid tumor indications. The strategic alliance is structured on a risk-sharing basis, with Quintiles funding, in part, the design and conduct of the clinical studies in exchange for success milestone payments. Other financial terms were not disclosed. The agreement is designed to enable Eisai to extend its oncology programme, increasing the number of indications investigated for the six potential products, including eribulin (E7389), E7080, Ontak® (denileukin diftitox), E7820, E6201 and E7050. These assets remain the property of Eisai, with Quintiles having development accountability through the Phase II proof-of-concept stage. In addition to projects covered under the agreement with Quintiles, Eisai will continue ongoing development of 18 additional indications for the same six compounds.
- In September 2009 Eisai and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a non-profit independent foundation, signed a collaboration and license agreement for the clinical development of a promising new drug for the treatment of Chagas disease, a fatal infectious disease that threatens 100 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- In September 2009 Eisai and Pfizer Inc signed a strategic alliance for the Alzheimer’s Disease treatment, Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride) and a separate agreement co-promote Lyrica in Japan. Lyrica is under regulatory review in Japan, and assuming approval is granted, this agreement will continue in force until July 2022.
- In September 2009 Eisai (Italy) and Helsinn entered into a licensing agreement for the commercialisation of the medical device Gelclair in Italy. The product, which is licensed worldwide by Helsinn, is a viscous, concentrated, bioadherent gel which adheres to the mucosal surface of the mouth and is a treatment for relieving oral pain following radio and chemotherapy.
- In July 2009 Eisai signed a licensing agreement with Biocompatibles International to develop and market the UK. company’s drug-eluting bead products DC Bead and Precision Bead in Japan. Eisai has the first right of refusal for related products, which use polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel microspheres for sustained release of chemotherapy drugs. The DC Bead is most commonly loaded with doxorubicin for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Under the agreement Biocompatibles International received an initial £3 million (US$4.9 million), and is eligible for milestone payments and royalties on net sales. The option agreement was originally announced in May 2008, but Eisai chose not to exercise its option until it established the regulatory requirements for DC Bead.
- In March 2009 Teikoku Pharma USA Inc signed an exclusive worldwide (excluding Japan) licensing agreement with Eisai to develop and commercialise a new transdermal formulation of donepezil for the treatment of Alzheimer’s diseaes.
- In March 2009 Kissei Pharmaceutical and Eisai signed license agreement for Urief , a treatment for dysuria associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia for ASEAN countries.
- In February 2009 Eisai Europe Ltd and Bial-Portela & CA SA signed a licence and co-promotion agreement in which Eisai received a sole license to market, promote and distribute the novel once daily anti-epileptic Zebinix (eslicarbazepine acetate), within Europe. Under the terms of the agreement, Bial is to receive a total of €95million consisting of an upfront payment plus milestone payments for further epilepsy approvals within Europe. Bial is responsible for maintaining ongoing development and production rights and the option to co-promote the drug with Eisai throughout Europe and is responsible for supplying the finished product to Eisai.
- In February 2009 Ajinomoto and Eisai signed agreement for distribution of branched-chain amino acid formula LIVACT ® Granules in Asia.
- In February 2009 Eisai and Teikoku Seiyaku signed agreements on transdermal patch formulation of donepezil hydrochloride.
- In November 2008 Eisai signed an alliance agreement with TorreyPines Therapeutics for genetic research programmes to discover genes associated with late onset Alzheimer’s disease.
- In August 2008 SymBio Pharmaceuticals Limited and Eisai signed a license agreement for bendamustine hydrochloride (SyB L-0501) in Japan, India, and Sri Lanka.
- In July 2008 Eisai China Inc signed license agreement in China for α-Lipon 300 STADA® for diabetic neuropathic pain.
- In May 2008 SymBio Pharmaceuticals and Eisai signed a license agreement for bendamustine hydrochloride (SyB L-0501) in Korea and Singapore.
- In December Eisai signed an in-licensing agreement with Minophagen Pharmaceutical for liver disease/allergic disease agents. With this agreement, Eisai assumed exclusive rights for development and marketing of these products in Japan and in the Euro-Asia countries and region where the products were yet to be sold.For China and the Euro-Asia countries and region where the products were currently sold, Eisai assumed exclusive first negotiation rights, with exclusive marketing rights in China upon termination of the existing agreement between Minophagen Pharmaceutical and its current local marketing partner.
