TOKYO, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President & CEO: Haruo Naito) announced that the company has signed on May 14, 15 May. (the U.S. Eastern Time) - the exclusive agreement with Solstice Neurosciences, Inc. (Headquarters: Pennsylvania, U.S., President & CEO: Shawn Patrick O'Brien) for NeuroBloc(R) , an injectable form of botulinum toxin type B agent owned by Solstice. In this new agreement, Eisai gained the commercialization right over a total of 35 European countries, including the 27 EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Switzerland, Croatia, Turkey, and Russia.
NeuroBloc(R) was approved for Cervical Dystonia through the centralized procedure by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) in January 2001 and has been made available in eight European countries so far. Treatment with NeuroBloc(R) interrupts cholinergic transmission between nerves and the affected muscle, causing it to relax.
For the Japanese Market, Eisai signed an exclusive agreement with Elan Corporation, plc.(x) for the development and marketing right of this product in September 2000. In December 2006, Eisai filed the new drug application for this product in Japan for the treatment of Cervical Dystonia.
Eisai is rapidly enhancing its neurology product lineup in Europe with its global products including Aricept(R) (symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease) as well as the anti-epilepsy agents Zonegran(R) and Inovelon(R). With this strategic alliance for NeuroBloc(R), Eisai expects to make further contributions to increasing the benefits to the patients and their families in Europe.
(x) Elan Corporation, plc. sold all assets of NeuroBloc(R) to Solstice Neurosciences, Inc. in July 2004.
Notes to Editor:
About Cervical Dystonia
Cervical Dystonia is a condition of abnormal muscle tone and movement that can result in painful abnormalities of posture or inability to flex and relax affected neck and shoulder muscles. The botulinum toxin type B compound is effective in the treatment of cervical dystonia by relaxing affected neck and shoulder muscles through blocking the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in those patients responsive to botulinum toxin therapy treatment.
Contact:
Andrew Day
European Director of PR and Communications
Eisai Europe Limited
Tel: +44(0)-208-600-1400
Contact: Andrew Day, European Director of PR and Communications, Eisai Europe Limited, Tel: +44(0)-208-600-1400
