Hatfield, Uk (ots/PRNewswire) PRESS RELEASE FOR EU MEDIA ONLY: NOT FOR SWISS/U.S. JOURNALISTS
Fycompa(R) (perampanel), Eisais first-in-class epilepsy treatment, will be made available throughout the Middle East through a partnership with Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. The partnership will commence immediately, with perampanel launches throughout the region expected to follow in 2015. In the EU, perampanel is indicated for the adjunctive treatment of partial onset seizures, with or without secondarily generalised seizures, in patients with epilepsy aged 12 years and older.[1]
We are very pleased to announce the partnership with Hikma, who is well positioned to help us ensure that people throughout the Middle East will soon be able to access our innovative epilepsy treatment Fycompa, commented Gary Hendler, President CEO, Eisai EMEA.
Perampanel is the only licensed anti-epileptic drug (AED) to selectively target AMPA receptors, a protein in the brain which plays a critical role in the spread of seizures.[2] This mechanism of action is different to other currently available AEDs. In addition, perampanel has the added benefit of convenient, once-daily dosing at bedtime.[1]
We are committed to our partnership with Eisai, which supports our strategy of working with global partners to strengthen our product portfolio in growing therapeutic areas and to bring important treatment options to patients in the Middle East region, commented Mazen Darwazah, Hikma Pharmaceuticals Executive Vice Chairman and President and CEO of MENA and Emerging Markets.
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions in the world.[3] The successful treatment of partial onset seizures remains a significant challenge in some patients and the incidence of uncontrolled partial epilepsy remains high despite many AEDs. Currently, up to 40% of patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy will become refractory to treatment.[4]
Countries covered by the partnership will include the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Sudan, Iraq, Libya and Yemen. Perampanel was approved by the European Commission on 23 July 2012 and the United States Federal Drug Administration (FDA) on 22 October 2012. Discovered and developed by Eisai in Europe and Japan, perampanel is manufactured in the UK.
The partnership underscores Eisais human health care (hhc) mission, the companys commitment to innovative solutions in disease prevention, cure and care for the health and wellbeing of people worldwide. Eisai is committed to the therapeutic area of epilepsy and to address the unmet medical needs of people with epilepsy and their families.
Notes to Editors
About Fycompa(R) (perampanel)
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Eisai Names Partner For Pan Middle East Distribution of First-in-class Epilepsy Treatment Fycompa (perampanel)