Tokyo, Japan and Paris, France – May 20, 2011 – ASKA Pharmaceutical Co., LTD and HRA Pharma have announced the conclusion of exclusive licensing agreements for ASKA Pharmaceutical to develop and market ulipristal acetate in Japan. The agreement covers a product which has an important role in the treatment of multiple women’s reproductive health issues, and specifically the treatment of uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are the most common type of non-cancerous hormone-dependent tumor of the female reproductive system. The condition affects between 20-50% of women, and is most common in women between the ages of 35 and 50.
Erin Gainer, CEO of HRA Pharma, said: “We have a declared mission to ensure that women have as much access to progressive healthcare as possible and working with ASKA Pharmaceutical gives us the opportunity to help bring new and innovative products to the women of Japan. We are very excited about this partnering agreement.”
Dr Yamaguchi, CEO of ASKA Pharmaceutical, said “We are delighted to be entering into a licensing agreement with HRA Pharma and foresee substantial potential for ulipristal acetate in the Japanese market. We believe ulipristal acetate has the potential to fulfill unmet needs for safer and more effective treatment of uterine fibroids.”
In European studies, ulipristal acetate has been shown to be an effective and safe treatment for uterine fibroids (myoma), a condition that affects millions of women worldwide. The product is currently in late-stage development in Europe and will be marketed under the trade name EsmyaTM*. Aska expects to initiate Japanese clinical studies without delay.
*Esmya is a registered trademark of Preglem SA
About uterine fibroids
Uterine fibroids are the most common type of non-cancerous hormone-dependent tumor of the female reproductive system. The condition affects between 20-50% of women, and is most common in women between the ages of 35 and 50. Symptomatic uterine fibroids are characterized by excessive uterine bleeding, pain, anemia or infertility. There are no effective, well tolerated medications available. Treatment most frequently consists of surgery and interventional radiology.
About HRA Pharma
HRA Pharma is a privately-held European pharmaceutical company that designs products, devices and supporting services in niche areas of health and makes them available to doctors and patients worldwide. The company targets therapeutic gaps in the areas of reproductive health and endocrinology, and uses innovative marketing solutions and socially-conscious programmes, such as contraception education in developing countries, to promote healthy management of drugs and diseases. Headquartered in Paris, France and with offices throughout Europe, HRA Pharma has built a strong network of R&D, manufacturing, distribution and NGO partners which enables it to satisfy critical patient needs and improve patient health in over 50 countries across the globe. Visit www.hra-pharma.com for more information.
About ASKA
ASKA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. located in Tokyo, Japan, is a research and development (R&D) oriented company, which contributes to the society by developing and providing innovative pharmaceutical products with concentrating its management resources to the specific therapeutic areas. Additional information on ASKA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is available through its corporate website http://www.aska-pharma.co.jp/english/index.html.
