Teijin Pharma Limited, the core company of the Teijin Group's medical and pharmaceutical business, announced today the launch of TMX-67 (febuxostat), a novel drug discovered by Teijin Pharma for the treatment of hyperuricemia in patients with gout, in Canada on Oct. 21, EST. Takeda Canada, Inc., a division of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan, is marketing the product under the brand name ULORIC(r).

Takeda Pharmaceutical's wholly owned U.S. subsidiary Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. (TPNA), which has an exclusive contract with Teijin Pharma to develop and market TMX-67 in North America, received approval for TMX-67 from Health Canada prior to the launch. In the U.S. market, TPNA began sales of TMX-67 in March 2009 following FDA approval.

TMX-67, one of Teijin Pharma's most promising products, has strong global potential. In Europe, sales are being handled by Ipsen of France, the TMX-67 licensee in Europe, and its sublicensee the Menarini Group. In Asia, SK Chemicals is conducting clinical studies for the Korean market. Teijin Pharma signed an exclusive distributorship agreement with Astellas Pharma Taiwan, Inc. for the Taiwanese market in May 2009, as well as with Astellas Pharma China, Inc. and Astellas Pharma Hong Kong Co., Ltd. for the Chinese and Hong Kong markets respectively in April 2010. In Japan, Teijin Pharma resubmitted a New Drug Application in December 2009.

Teijin Pharma will continue to pursue other collaborative efforts to broaden TMX-67's global availability, aiming at global annual sales of over 100 billion yen in the foreseeable future.

Gout, a chronic disease marked by gouty arthritis associated with severe pain, is mainly treated with medication that inhibits xanthine oxidase, an enzyme directly related to the production of uric acid. The current leading medication, allopurinol, was developed nearly 40 years ago, so a new drug that provides more options for the treatment of gout and hyperuricemia has long been sought.

TMX-67, developed by Teijin Pharma after intensive research, is an oral, once-daily, highly potent, non-purine selective inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. A novel drug with a structure completely different from that of allopurinol, TMX-67 lowers the level of uric acid in the blood of hyperuricemic patients suffering from gout.

About ULORIC for the Canadian market

Product name: ULORIC(r)
Generic name: febuxostat
Pharmaceutical forms and strength: film-coated tablets, 80mg
Therapeutic indications: ULORIC (febuxostat) is indicated to lower serum uric acid levels in patients with gout

ULORIC(r) is a registered trademark of Teijin Pharma Limited and used under license by Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.

Source:
Teijin Pharma Limited
Teijin Group