Japanese company, Eisai, says it will be buying the rights to develop, manufacture and market Dainippon Pharmaceutical’s anti-epileptic offering, Excegran (zonisamide), in China, Taiwan and 14 other Asian countries.
The financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, but signing the deal brings Eisai the full rights to the drug, which is known as Zonegran overseas, after paying $130 million dollars for the US and European rights from Ireland’s Elan Corporation last spring [[28/04/04g]], [[31/03/04b]].
In a statement, Eisai said that it hoped to use its marketing abilities accumulated through experience in the US and Europe to ease the Asian launch.
The drug won Japanese approval back in 1989, and has been available in South Korea since 1992 – Eisai Korea has been marketing the product since acquiring the rights in this market on February 25, 2005.
