DISSOLUTION OF BRACCO-EISAI JOINT VENTURE

Bracco Imaging S.p.A.

Eisai Co., Ltd.

 

Bracco Imaging S.p.A. (Headquarters: Milan, Italy, CEO: Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, “Bracco”) and Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, “Eisai”) announced today that the joint venture regarding the company Bracco-Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President: Tetsuaki Sakamoto, Ratio of Shares Held: Bracco 51% Eisai 49%, “Bracco-Eisai”), will be dissolved as of March 31, 2023. As a result, Bracco will acquire all shares of Bracco-Eisai held by Eisai and change its name from Bracco-Eisai to Bracco Japan, Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President: Tetsuaki Sakamoto, “Bracco Japan”) as of April 1, 2023.

 

Bracco and Eisai established Bracco-Eisai in 1990 with the aim of establishing a contrast agent business in Japan. The companies launched the non-ionic contrast agent Iomeron® and the macrocyclic non-ionic contrast agent ProHance® for MRI in 1994, and have worked together in a friendly partnership for more than 30 years. After comprehensive consideration, the companies decided to dissolve the joint venture in order to respond quickly and flexibly to the changing environment surrounding the healthcare industry and achieve sustainable contributions to patients through these products.

 

Regarding Iomeron and ProHance, products that Eisai and Bracco-Eisai have co-promoted thus far, Eisai and Bracco-Japan will continue to co-promote these products between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, with Bracco-Japan as the domestic manufacturer and Eisai as the distributor. Bracco Japan will exclusively commercialize the products from April 1, 2024.

 

“The Asia-Pacific region plays a leading role in diagnostic imaging and is expected to grow faster than other global markets.” said Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Vice-Chairman & CEO of Bracco Imaging S.p.A. “Bracco has had a considerable presence in Japan for many years and will continue to strengthen its relationships with customers in order to better understand and meet the needs of customers in Japan. We will continue to provide better diagnostic imaging technology and services.”

 

“We are deeply grateful to Bracco, with whom we have worked together for more than 30 years since Bracco-Eisai’s founding to contribute to patients in the field of diagnostic imaging.” said Haruo Naito, Chief Executive Officer at Eisai Co., Ltd. “Based on our human health care concept, Eisai will continue to play a role in providing information on both Iomeron and ProHance until the end of March 2024, and will take all possible measures to ensure a smooth transfer of operations, so that Bracco Japan can maintain its contribution to patients.”

    

  

Media Inquiries

 

  • Bracco Imaging S.p.A.

    Bracco Imaging Media Relations

    TEL: +39-340-9016191

  • Bracco Eisai Co.,Ltd

    Public Relations

    TEL: +81-(0)3-5319-3381

  • Eisai Co., Ltd.

    Public Relations Department

    TEL: +81-(0)3-3817-5120

 

[Notes to editors]

 

1. About Bracco Imaging S.p.A.

Bracco Imaging S.p.A. (“Bracco”), a subsidiary of Bracco Group, is an innovative world leader in providing end-to-end products and solutions through a comprehensive portfolio of diagnostic imaging modalities. Based in Milan, Italy, Bracco is dedicated to improving people's lives by shaping the future of prevention and precise imaging. Bracco's portfolio includes products and solutions for all key diagnostic imaging modalities, including radiology, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and nuclear medicine. Bracco has approximately 3,700 employees and operates in more than 100 markets worldwide. Bracco has a skilled and innovative research and development (R&D) organization with a focus on efficient processes and a history of achievement in the diagnostic imaging industry. R&D activities are carried out in four centers in Italy, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S.

For more information, visit www.bracco.com.

 

2. About Eisai Co., Ltd.

Eisai’s Corporate Concept is “to give first thought to patients and people in the daily living domain, and to increase the benefits that health care provides.” Under this Concept (also known as human health care (hhc) Concept), we aim to effectively achieve social good in the form of relieving anxiety over health and reducing health disparities. With a global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to create and deliver innovative products to target diseases with high unmet medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of Neurology and Oncology.

 

In addition, we demonstrate our commitment to the elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which is a target (3.3) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with working on various activities together with global partners.

 

For more information about Eisai, please visit www.eisai.com (for global headquarters: Eisai Co., Ltd.), and connect with us on Twitter @Eisai_SDGs.