Astellas Pharm Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Yoshihiko Hatanaka, “Astellas”) and TOA EIYO LTD. (President: Atsuo Takahashi, “TOA EIYO”) announced that the companies have entered into a co-promotion agreement of Astellas’ products for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia, Kiklin® Capsules 250mg (generic name: Bixalomer, “Kiklin® Capsules”) and Kiklin® Glanules 86.2% (”Kiklin® Granules”), in Japan, starting from Oct, 2017.
While Astellas and Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd. have co-promoted Kiklin® Capsules and Kiklin® Granules through the Astellas distribution, TOA EIYO will additionally conduct the promotion under the terms of this agreement. This partnership will enable the enforcement and enhancement of activities providing Kiklin® Capsules and Kiklin® Granules product information leading to more contribution to the hyperphosphatemia treatment for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (“CKD”).
Bixalomer was discovered by Ilypsa, Inc., now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amgen Inc. In April 2006, Astellas and Ilypsa, Inc. entered into a license agreement that grants Astellas exclusive rights to develop and commercialize bixalomer in Japan and then, Astellas conducted the development of bixalomer.
In June 2012, Astellas launched Kiklin® Capsules for the indication of hyperphosphatemia in patients on dialysis with CKD in Japan. Astellas also received an approval for a supplemental new drug application of Kiklin® Capsules for the treatment of CKD patients not on dialysis with hyperphosphatemia in February 2016. In December 2016, Astellas launched Kiklin® Granules as an additional formulation of Kikilin® Capsules in Japan.
