Eisai Enters into In-licensing Agreement with Minophagen Pharmaceutical for Liver Disease/Allergic Disease Agents Stronger Neo-Minophagen® C and Glycyron® Tablets

Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President and CEO: Haruo Naito) signed an in-licensing agreement with Minophagen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President and CEO: Kyozo Utsunomiya) for liver disease/allergic disease agents Stronger Neo-Minophagen® C and Glycyron® Tablets on December 18, 2007.

With this agreement, Eisai will assume exclusive rights for development and marketing of these products in Japan and in the Euro-Asia countries and region where the products are yet to be sold.^*1 For China and the Euro-Asia countries and region where the products are currently sold^*2, Eisai will assume exclusive first negotiation rights, with exclusive marketing rights in China upon termination of the existing agreement between Minophagen Pharmaceutical and its current local marketing partner. The companies expect to transfer the marketing activities to Eisai in China on April 1, 2009. In Japan, transfer of the marketing activities for Stronger Neo-Minophagen® C and Glycyron® Tablets are expected to take place on April 1, 2008 and October 1, 2008, respectively.

It has been reported that about 170 million people in China are affected with viral hepatitis and 70 percent of these cases are hepatitis B, which is treated by antiviral therapy and immunotherapy including interferon or hepato-protector therapy. Currently, Eisai is developing clevudine, an antiviral agent for viral hepatitis B that has been licensed by Bukwang (Korea), and by introducing the two agents announced today to Eisai's product lineup, Eisai can make further contributions to the patients and their families in China.

In Japan, approximately 2.8 million people are estimated to be affected with viral hepatitis, with more than half of this population being afflicted with chronic hepatitis C. Introduced in 1948 and in 1957, Stronger Neo-Minophagen® C and Glycyron® Tablets have been widely used in the treatment for improvement of abnormal hepatic function in chronic hepatitis C, especially when eradication of hepatitis C virus is difficult.

Moreover, the studies conducted in Europe have shown the effectiveness of Stronger Neo-Minophagen® C in improving abnormal hepatic function in patients with chronic hepatitis C where interferon therapy does not work. The results of the studies were presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases conference in November, 2007.

Eisai has been making efforts for research activities in the hepatic disease area with support from medical specialists in Japan since the 1960's. The results of these efforts have led to the introduction of the PIVKA-Ⅱ series, a diagnosis product for hepatocellular cancer in 1989, which has been enabling Eisai to address the needs in the area of hepatic diseases. Additionally, Eisai has been focusing on gastrointestinal disorders as one of the strategic areas. In Japan, Eisai markets a proton pump inhibitor Pariet® and gastritis/gastric ulcer treatment Selbex®.

With this agreement, Eisai can enhance its product lineup for the gastrointestinal disorders area that is available in countries in Asia including Japan and China, and thereby make further contributions to increase the benefits to patients and their families.

[Please see the following note for the product information.]