Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. [Headquarter: Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan, President: Akira Uehara] (hereinafter, Taisho) and Eli Lilly and Company [Headquarter: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, President and COO: John Lechleiter, Ph.D.] (hereinafter, Lilly) have terminated a license agreement for potential new drug, TS-021, an inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes originated by Taisho (Phase I clinical trial in Japan and USA). The decision was made by the fact that pre-clinical study results did not meet certain criteria set by Lilly.
