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Toray and Meiji Seika Pharma Reach Exclusive License Agreement on Antipuritic Agent TRK-820 in Thailand and Indonesia

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Jan. 18, 2019

Toray Industries, Inc.
Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd.

Toray Industries, Inc. (head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President Akihiro Nikkaku; hereinafter referred to as “Toray”) and Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. (head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Daikichiro Kobayashi; hereinafter referred to as “Meiji”) today announced that the companies signed an exclusive license agreement on the orally disintegrating tablets formulation of antipruritic drug TRK-820 (Toray development code: generic name: nalfurafine hydrochloride) that is developed and manufactured by Toray (hereinafter referred to as the “Product”). Pursuant to the agreement, Meiji gains the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the Product in Thailand and Indonesia. In return, Meiji will pay initial payment and milestone payments corresponding to the progress of development to Toray.

TRK-820 is marketed as REMITCH®*1 Capsule 2.5µg and REMITCH® OD Tablet 2.5µg in Japan to improve pruritus in hemodialysis patients and patients with chronic liver disease (use only when sufficient efficacy is not obtained with the existing therapies or treatments).
In particular, REMITCH® OD Tablet can be administered both with and without water and is expected to contribute to improvement of medication compliance*2 of patients with deteriorating swallowing function such as senior citizens and those whose water intake is limited.

Meiji has consolidated subsidiaries Thai Meiji Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in Thailand and PT. Meiji Indonesian Pharmaceutical Industries in Indonesia that serve as pharmaceutical product manufacturing and marketing bases, and it focuses on promotion especially of local sales expansion and enhancement of local presence in the ASEAN region as one of its growth strategy. At the same time, Toray aims to expand sales areas of TRK-820 and it believes that the agreement between the two companies will lead to maximization of the Product value.

Thailand has a large number of end-stage renal disease patients and it is one of the countries with high needs for hemodialysis treatment. Toray and Meiji expects to make significant contribution to easing pruritus of dialysis and chronic liver disease patients who till now not have access to effective treatment in Thailand and Indonesia.

Toray and Meiji will continue to strive to develop and spread better products for improvement of QOL (quality of life) of pruritus patients.

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*1 REMITCH®
The world’s first highly selectiveк(kappa)-opioid receptor agonist developed by Toray.
REMITCH® is a registered trade mark of Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

 
*2 Medication compliance
The act of taking medication on schedule and taking medication as prescribed.

 
<Company profiles>
■Toray Industries, Inc.
(1) Business manufacturing and sales of fibers and textiles, performance chemicals, carbon fiber composite materials, environment and engineering and life science and other products
(2) Address Chuo-ku, Tokyo
(3) Established 1926
(4) Representative President Akihiro Nikkaku
(5) Net sales 2,204.9 billion yen (fiscal year ended March 2018)
■Meiji Seika ファルマ株式会社の概要
(1) Business manufacturing and sales of ethical pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals and veterinary drugs
(2) Address Chuo-ku, Tokyo
(3) Established 1916
(4) Representative President and Representative Director Daikichiro Kobayashi
(5) Net sales 168.5 billion yen (fiscal year ended March 2018)