GlaxoSmithKline K.K.
Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
GlaxoSmithKline K.K. (Head Office: Tokyo, President: Marc
Dunoyer, hereafter referred to as 'GSK') and Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co.,
Ltd (Head Office: Osaka, President: Masaaki Yokotsuka) announce that they
have signed a license agreement for naratriptan, a treatment for migraine,
which was developed by GSK.
Naratriptan is a 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonist for the treatment of migraine
characterized by long duration of action and is associated with a uniquely
low incidence of migraine recurrence, which causes significant suffering
to patients. It is already approved in 76 countries worldwide and is currently
in phase II of development at GSK in Japan.
GSK and Sumitomo will further continue the development of the product under
the co-development collaboration. Under the terms of this License Agreement,
GSK grants Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals development and marketing rights of
naratriptan in Japan.
GSK will also supply the active ingredient or bulk pharmaceutical preparation
of naratriptan to Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals.
It is estimated that there are about 6-8.4 million migraine patients in
Japan. However, many patients use over-the-counter drugs, with only about
15% actually consulting their doctors and only 2.7% of these patients receiving
regular consultation. With the launch of the injection form of Imigran (generic
name: sumatriptan succinate), the first triptan drug marketed in Japan,
and the tablet form in August 2001, as well as the filing for approval of
the nasal spray form in 2001, GSK is committed to enhancing its leading
position in the migraine area and expanding the market. On the other hand,
Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals, which positions psychiatry/neurology as one of
its key areas, has been interested in the migraine and is exploring new
business opportunities. The agreement was concluded as a result of the business
strategy of Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals to reinforce this area matching with
that of GSK.
Taking the opportunity of this license agreement, GSK and Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals
intend to promote the permeation of migraine treatment in Japan, thereby
contributing to improve the Quality of Life (QOL) of migraine patients. |
