MILAN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. (“Newron”) (SIX: NWRN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for patients with diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) and pain, is pleased to note the news from its partner Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd., that it has entered into a collaboration with Eisai Co., Ltd.
The full text of the announcement from Meiji Seika and Eisai is as follows:
EISAI AND MEIJI ENTER INTO LICENSING AGREEMENT CONCERNING PARKINSON’S DISEASE DRUG SAFINAMIDE IN JAPAN AND ASIA
Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, “Eisai”) and Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo; CEO: Daikichiro Kobayashi, “Meiji”) announced today that they have entered into a license agreement for the commercialization of safinamide (development code: ME2125) for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in Japan and Asia. Safinamide is currently under clinical development by Meiji in Japan.
Under the agreement, Eisai will obtain exclusive rights to safinamide to market in Japan and to develop and market in Asia (seven countries*). Meiji will continue the clinical trials that it is currently conducting and submit a manufacturing and marketing authorization application for the drug in Japan. Meanwhile, Eisai will conduct clinical trials for seeking regulatory approval, and make the applications in Asia. Meiji will manufacture and supply the product of safinamide to Eisai for Japan and Asia. Furthermore, Meiji will receive an upfront payment from Eisai, as well as developmental milestone and sales royalty payments under the agreement.
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease which causes motor impairment, including shaking in the limbs, muscular rigidity and brachybasia. It is caused by degeneration of the dopamine nervous system, which leads to a shortage of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain.
According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease in Japan numbered 163,000 in 20141, with the number of patients increasing due to the aging of the population.2
Levodopa is widely used to treat Parkinson's disease by replenishing the brain’s supply of dopamine. However, as the disease progresses, levodopa’s duration of effect (“on” time) decreases, and there are cases of Parkinson’s disease symptoms returning before the next dose (“wearing-off” phenomenon). To prevent the “wearing-off” phenomenon, combination therapy with a drug that has a different mechanism of action to levodopa is administered.
Safinamide is a selective monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor, which reduces the degradation of excreted dopamine, helping to maintain the density of dopamine in the brain. Additionally, safinamide blocks sodium ion channels and inhibits glutamate release, and as such, has potential as a new Parkinson’s disease treatment which possesses both dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic mechanisms. Global clinical trials of safinamide in combination with levodopa for the treatment of mid- to late-stage Parkinson’s disease showed extended “on” time, and an improvement in motor function.3
Safinamide was discovered and developed by Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. (Headquarters: Italy, Milan, “Newron”). In 2011, Newron entered into a licensing agreement with Meiji, granting Meiji exclusive rights to development, manufacture and commercialize the drug in Japan and Asia. Safinamide is marketed under the name “Xadago” in eleven countries in Europe, and on March 21, 2017, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In Japan, Meiji is currently conducting Phase II/III trials for safinamide in combination with levodopa.
Through this agreement, Eisai and Meiji will make further contributions to address the diversified needs of, and increase the benefits provided to, Parkinson’s disease patients and their families.
* South Korea, Taiwan, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and the Philippines
Notes to editors
1. About Eisai Co., Ltd.
Eisai Co., Ltd. defines its
corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their
families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we
call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With approximately 10,000
employees working across our global network of R&D facilities,
manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realize our
hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products to address unmet
medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of
Neurology and Oncology.
Furthermore, we invest and participate in several partnership-based initiatives to improve access to medicines in developing and emerging countries.
For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit www.eisai.com/.
2. About Meiji Seika Pharma
In order to protect and
improve people’s health and lives, Meiji Seika Pharma, as a “Speciality
and Generic Pharmaceuticals Company”, runs its pharmaceutical business
in the two main fields, infectious disease and central nervous system
disorders, as well as generic drugs. Meiji Seika Pharma strives to
respond to diversified medical needs and contributes to the well-being
of people worldwide.
For details, please visit its corporate website:
http://www.meiji.com/global/about-us/corporate-profile/meiji-seika-pharma/
1 Patient Survey 2014 (Disease and Injury) by Statistics and
Information Department, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Health,
Labour and Welfare
2 Japan Intractable Diseases
Information Center http://www.nanbyou.or.jp/
3
Borgohain R et al. Randomized Trial of Safinamide Add-On to Levodopa in
Parkinson's Disease With Motor Fluctuations. Mov Disord. 2014
Feb;29(2):229-37
About Newron Pharmaceuticals
Newron (SIX: NWRN) is a
biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies
for patients with diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) and pain.
The Company is headquartered in Bresso near Milan, Italy, with a
subsidiary in Morristown, NJ, USA. Xadago® (safinamide) has received
marketing authorization for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in the
European Union, Switzerland and the USA, and is commercialized by
Newron’s partner Zambon. US WorldMeds holds the commercialization rights
in the USA. In addition to Xadago® for Parkinson’s disease, Newron has a
strong pipeline of promising treatments for rare disease patients at
various stages of clinical development, including sarizotan for patients
with Rett syndrome and ralfinamide for patients with specific rare pain
indications. Newron is also developing Evenamide as the potential first
add-on therapy for the treatment of patients with positive symptoms of
schizophrenia. www.newron.com.
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its current product candidates and current and future collaborations for
the development and commercialisation of its product candidates and
reduce costs (including staff costs), (2) the market for drugs to treat
CNS diseases and pain conditions, (3) Newron’s anticipated future
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