EISAI AND AJINOMOTO PHARMACEUTICALS LAUNCH BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACID FORMULA LIVAMIN® ORAL GRANULES IN THE PHILIPPINES

Eisai Co., Ltd.
Ajinomoto Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, “Eisai”) and Ajinomoto Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President: Takashi Nagamachi, “Ajinomoto Pharmaceuticals”) announced today that LIVAMIN® Oral Granules (granules of isoleucine, leucine and valine, brand name in Japan: LIVACT® Granules), a branched-chain amino acid formula, was launched in the Philippines.

Ajinomoto Pharmaceuticals holds the manufacturing and marketing authorization rights to LIVAMIN Oral Granules. Under a basic contract concerning the marketing rights of LIVAMIN Oral Granules in the Asia region signed in February 2009, Eisai obtained the exclusive marketing rights from Ajinomoto Pharmaceuticals to distribute the product in the Philippines as well as Hong Kong, China and Macao. In April 2014, Eisai's subsidiary HI-Eisai Pharmaceutical Inc. received approval in the Philippines for LIVAMIN Oral Granules indicated for the improvement of hypoalbuminemia^*1 in patients with decompensated hepatic cirrhosis presenting with hypoalbuminemia despite adequate dietary intake.

In hepatic cirrhosis, increase of fibrous tissues in the liver as chronic hepatitis progresses leads to hardening of the liver and results in loss of normal liver function. When hepatic cirrhosis is not accompanied with clearly defined symptoms despite partial damage to liver function, it is called compensated cirrhosis. When liver function worsens and presents with symptoms such as jaundice, malaise, ascites, edema, hepatic encephalopathy, it is called decompensated cirrhosis. The cause of such symptoms associated with decompensated hepatic cirrhosis includes malnutrition or metabolic disorder resulting from hypoalbuminemia that occurs as hepatic cirrhosis progresses. LIVAMIN Oral Granules ameliorates these symptoms by increasing serum albumin levels in patients with decompensated hepatic cirrhosis.

Liver cirrhosis is a serious health issue in the Philippines, with around 127,000 people estimated to have liver cirrhosis^*2 and in 2010, it is said that approximately 9,200 people died due to liver cirrhosis^*3.

In June 2014, marketing approval for LIVAMIN Oral Granules was obtained for Hong Kong, and the product (brand name in Hong Kong: LIVACT® Granules [Chinese name: 列维通®]) is scheduled to be launched there during fiscal 2014. In addition, clinical trials to obtain regulatory approval in China are currently underway. By delivering LIVAMIN Oral Granules to these regions, Eisai and Ajinomoto Pharmaceuticals strive to make further contributions to improving the quality of life for, and increasing the benefits provided to, patients with liver disease and their families.