| Jan. 29,2003 |
Toray and Fujisawa Agree to Co-development and Exclusive License of Its New Antipruritus Drug in Europe |
Tokyo/Osaka, January 29, 2003, --- Toray Industries,
Inc. and Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. today announced that they have signed
an agreement where Toray and Fujisawa co-develop an injectable formulation of
TRK-820, a novel selective  opioid
receptor agonist generated by Toray, in Europe and Toray grants exclusive marketing
rights of the compound in Europe to Fujisawa.In Europe, Toray has been developing the injectable formulation of TRK-820 for the treatment of uremic pruritus in patients receiving dialysis as a first indication and filed a marketing application of the drug in Sweden at the end of 2002. Toray and Fujisawa will co-develop for filing of marketing applications and obtaining approvals of this drug in other European countries. The companies expect to start marketing of this drug in Europe in 2004 and thereafter. Dialysis-related uremic pruritus is a disease with systemic and severe itching without inflammation, which is resistant to available drugs, and its cause has not yet been clearly elucidated. There are unmet medical needs for this disease because of no effective drugs currently available. In Europe, around 60% of patients having dialysis suffer from dialysis-related uremic pruritus with about 20% suffering from severe itching. Recent studies show that there are two hypothetical mechanisms of pruritus/itch, histamine route and opioid route. TRK-820 is a selective opioid
agonist having a novel mode of action different from the existing anti-histamine
drugs and is expected to be effective to itching which the existing drugs can
not suppress. Based on the outcome of clinical trials so far conducted by Toray,
it is also expected that TRK-820 will contribute to improvements of quality of
life for patients receiving dialysis.Toray positions its Life Science business, including pharmaceuticals and medical products, as one of its strategic businesses destined for future expansion and likely to become the company's nuclear business in the 21st century. Accordingly, Toray has been seeking a business partner in Europe to industrialize the new drug TRK-820, which, in its belief, has great potential for commercialization. Fujisawa is actively developing its international operations. In Europe, Fujisawa operates pharmaceutical business mainly in the area of transplantation, dermatology and infection. Fujisawa is vigorously seeking opportunities to introduce products at late-stage clinical development from outside partners. Although this is the first time for Toray and Fujisawa to enter into actual collaboration , the both companies expect closer cooperation in pharmaceutical business in future. In addition to the co-development of injectable formulation of TRK-820 in Europe, Toray and Fujisawa will discuss cooperation for the other possible formulations and indications as well as the territories such as North America. |
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