| ...and a new agent discovered by Teijin Limited in Europe Tokyo (Japan) and Paris (France), 7 July 2003 - Teijin Limited and Ipsen announced today the signature of a collaboration to develop and market four Ipsen products in Japan and Teijin's anti-gout agent, TMX-67 in Europe. As part of the agreement, Teijin will support the establishment of Ipsen’s presence in Japan with a mirror agreement for Europe. The collaboration foresees that sales of products in Japan and Europe will revert back to Ipsen and Teijin, respectively, in the future when the companies establish a local commercial presence. |   |
The four products from Ipsen are a Glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue (GLP-1, code name: BIM51077) for which Teijin has been granted co-exclusive rights in Japan, a type 2-receptor selective somatostatin analogue (SSTR-2, code name: BIM23190), a parathyroid hormone 1-34 fragment analogue (PTH, code name: BIM44058), and a sustained-release formulation of a somatostatin analogue (Somatuline® Autogel®), for which Teijin has been granted exclusive rights in Japan.
Teijin will develop the analogues of GLP-1, SSTR-2, PTH and Somatuline® Autogel® as treatments for type II diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, severe osteoporosis, and acromegaly, respectively. By developing novel drugs having superior efficacy compared with competitive products currently under development, Teijin aims to provide patients suffering from these diseases with better solutions, taking advantage of Ipsen’s outstanding expertise in peptide technology and large molecule sustained-release formulation technology.
GLP-1 and SSTR-2 analogues are in phase I development and the PTH analogue is in preclinical development. Somatuline® Autogel® has been launched in several European countries including the UK and France, and is in phase III in the USA. Teijin will move forward with the development and sales of these products in Japan, in collaboration with Ipsen.
TMX-67 is a novel xanthine oxidase inhibitor discovered by Teijin with a novel molecular structure different from allopurinol, the only xanthine oxidase inhibitor currently available on the market. TMX-67 is expected to be safer and more effective than allopurinol at lower doses and is in phase III both in Japan (Teijin) and the USA (TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Lakeforest, IL). The involvement of Ipsen will make it possible to develop TMX-67 in parallel in the three territories, Japan, the USA and Europe.
"The addition of GLP-1 and SSTR-2 analogues and Somatuline® Autogel® to Teijin’s product pipeline will help the company to establish a first-class cardiovascular and metabolic disease franchise in Japan. The addition of the PTH analogue to Teijin’s existing osteoporosis portfolio including Bonalon® and Onealfa® will enable Teijin to provide a total solution in osteoporosis management, in which Teijin aims at being the leading company. This collaboration will also enable us to establish a basis for the expansion into the European market with TMX-67 in collaboration with Ipsen, which has a solid foundation in the European pharmaceutical industry." said Shigeo Ohyagi, General Manager of Medical & Pharmaceutical Business Group, Teijin Group Senior Executive Officer.
"Our strategy is based on an active search for new alliances and partnerships, especially to reinforce Ipsen’s internationalization. This collaboration with Teijin, a leading pharmaceutical company in Japan, will allow us to develop our presence in Japan, the world’s second biggest market" said Jean-Luc Bélingard, President and CEO of the Ipsen Group.
Notes to editor
Teijin Limited
| 1. Establishment: | June 1918 |
| 2. Head Office: | 6-7, Minami-hommachi, 1 chome, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541-8587 Japan |
| 3. Capital Stock: | ¥70.787 billion (as of March 31, 2003) |
| 4. Representative: | President & CEO Toru Nagashima |
| 5. Number of Employees: | Consolidated 23,265 (as of March 31, 2003) Non-consolidated 2,938 (as of March 31, 2003) |
| 6. Sales: | Consolidated ¥890.4 billion (Fiscal Year ended March 2003) Non-consolidated ¥127.4 billion (Fiscal Year ended March 2003) |
Teijin’s main areas of activity are the production and sales of fibres, chemicals and plastics, pharmaceuticals and medical products, as well as the home healthcare business. With respect to pharmaceuticals and medical products, Teijin has focused on respiratory, disease, bone calcium metabolism and cardiovascular / metabolism disorders, and markets throughout Japan. In the home health care field, Teijin is engaged in the home oxygen therapy business, marketing its oxygen concentrators throughout Japan.
The Group’s website is http://www.teijin.co.jp
Ipsen
Present in over 110 countries with a total staff of nearly 3700, the Ipsen Group had a turnover of €718 million in 2002, 27.1% outside Western Europe.
The Group is focused on developing innovative products in targeted disease areas: oncology, endocrinology, neurology and hematology. Ipsen currently has over 20 products on the market, including those marketed to specialists in disease areas that represent the main source of Ipsen’s future growth, as well as predominantly natural-based products that represent the historical base of the Group’s business in other disease areas. In 2002, 18.2% of Ipsen’s turnover was reinvested in Research and Development, carried out from 4 centers Paris, Boston, Barcelona and London by an international network of about 550 scientists.
The Group’s website is www.ipsen.com
Source: Ipsen
