Japan's Eisai, Takeda And Shionogi Look To Accelerate Weight Loss Drug Development
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
Major Japanese drug companies Eisai and Takeda are looking to accelerate commercialization of weight loss drugs for metabolic syndrome. Eisai's anti-obesity agent KES524 (sibutramine), licensed from Abbott Laboratories, is pending approval in Japan. Takeda's therapeutic diet agent ATL-962 (cetilistat) is in Phase III clinical development in Japan. Takeda obtained the exclusive rights from U.K. biotech Alizyme. Shionogi also plans a Phase I trial for S-2367 by the end of this September. S-2367 is at Phase II development in the U.S. Other Japanese drug makers are developing over-the-counter obesity drugs. Taisho Pharmaceutical obtained exclusive rights to Alli (oristat) from GlaxoSmithKline in January. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical launched traditional Chinese medicine Beslight Gold a targeting middle-aged females and Naisitoru85 targeting male customers. Marketing firm Fuji Keizai estimated a 4 percent increase to ¥12 billion for the obesity drug market in 2009. (Click here for more - Japanese language