Eisai Co., Ltd. (エーザイ株式会社, Ēzai Kabushiki-gaisha?, TYO: 4523) is one of the leading global pharmaceutical companies, ranking among the top 25 and achieving $8 billion USD in sales for the fiscal 2008 year. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, it has some 10,000 employees, among them about 1,500 in research. Eisai is a member of the Topix 100 and Nikkei 225 indices.
History
In 1941, Nihon Eisai Co. Ltd. was established, and in 1944 Nihon Eisai Co. Ltd. and the Sakuragaoka Research Laboratory merged to become a new entity.
Eisai Inc., the American subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd. officially established in 1995, is one of only four companies in the United States to ever reach $1 billion in revenue within just five years.
In 1996, Eisai receives FDA approval of Aricept (donepezil), a drug that was discovered in the company's labs and co-marketed with Pfizer. Three years later in 1999, the company receives FDA approval of Aciphex (rabeprazole), a drug that co-marketed with Johnson & Johnson.
In September 2006, the company acquires four oncology products from Ligand Pharmaceuticals.
In April 2007, Eisai acquired Exton, Pennsylvania-based Morphotek, a company developing therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and infectious diseases.
In December 2007, Eisai acquired MGI Pharma, a company specializing in oncology, for $3.9 billion. This event brought in Dacogen (decitabine), Aloxi (palonosetron), Hexalan for ovarian cancer, and the Gliadel Wafer for brain tumors to the Eisai product portfolio.
Locations
Eisai Co., Ltd. is based in Tokyo, Japan while its American subsidiary Eisai Inc. is headquartered in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Eisai maintains medical research headquarters in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey as well as locations in Japan, the United Kingdom, the Research Triangle in North Carolina, and Massachusetts where the Eisai Research Institute is based.
The company has manufacturing sites in Japan, North Carolina, Indonesia, Suzhou, China, and Tainan, Taiwan. Plants are being developed in England and India.
Eisai has marketing operations in 19 European countries as well as the Asia-Pacific region.
Products
Some of the key products that Eisai produces or markets with partners include:
- Aciphex/Pariet (rabeprazole) - Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Actonel (risedronic acid) - Osteoporosis (Japan)
- Aloxi (palonosetron) - Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomitting
- Aricept (donepezil) - Mild to moderate dementia for Alzheimer's Disease patients
- Banzel/Inovelon (rufinamide) - Seizures related to Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
- Fragmin (dalteparin) - Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism
- Iomeron - Non-ionic contrast medium
- Methylcobal - Peripheral neuropathy
- Myonal - Muscle relaxant
- Selbex - Gastric ulcers and gastritis
- Zonegran (zonisamide) - Partial-onset seizures
Along with these select prescription drugs, which account for 90% of the company's sales, Eisai markets Chocola BB, Travelmin, Nabolin, Juvelex, Saclon, and Selbelle tablets consumer products.
Pipeline Candidates
Some of Eisai's pipeline candidates include:
- AS-3201 - Diabetic neuropathy
- E2007 - Epilepsy & migrane prevention
- E5564 - Severe sepsis
- E7389 - Breast and prostate cancer
References
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