Eisai Enters into In-licensing Agreement with Sepracor for Eszopiclone Insomnia Treatment.

Tokyo, Japan, July 27, 2007 - (JCN JCN Japan Corporate News
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JCN joint communications network (US DoD) Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Sepracor Inc. signed an in-licensing agreement for the insomnia treatment eszopiclone (product name in the U.S.: LUNESTA(R)) on July 26, 2007 (the U.S. eastern time). In this agreement, Eisai will assume exclusive rights for development and marketing of this compound in Japan.

Eszopiclone is a non-benzodiazepine type allosteric allosteric /al·lo·ster·ic/ (al?o-ster´ik) pertaining to allostery.

allosteric

pertaining to an effect on the biological function of a protein, produced by a compound not directly involved in that function (an allosteric GABA agonist A GABA agonist is a drug which acts to stimulate or increase the action at the GABA receptor.

Examples include:

baclofen
muscimol
progabide
tiagabine
zolpidem

External links

MeSH GABA+agonists

discovered by Sepracor. With its short-acting feature that allows fewer interruptions during sleep, the compound may help patients with transient insomnia as well as chronic insomnia in the elderly. Furthermore, in clinical studies conducted in the U.S., the compound was well-tolerated and had a low risk of abuse and dependence even with nightly administration. Currently, a Phase I clinical study is ongoing in Japan. In the United States, eszopiclone received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA FDA
abbr.
Food and Drug Administration

FDA,
n.pr See Food and Drug Administration.

FDA,
n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. ) in December, 2004 and has been marketed by Sepracor since April, 2005.

In Japan, it has been reported that more than 24 million people are suffering from sleep disorders Sleep Disorders Definition

Sleep disorders are a group of syndromes characterized by disturbance in the patient's amount of sleep, quality or timing of sleep, or in behaviors or physiological conditions associated with sleep. and the incidence is expected to increase in the future. With the in-licensing agreement announced today, Eisai aims to achieve fast approval of the compound in Japan and to provide further benefits to the patients with insomnia by adding this new treatment to its neurology product portfolio.

About Sepracor Inc.

Headquarters: Marlborough, Massachusetts, the United States

Establishment: 1984

Number of Employees: 2,600

Company website: www.sepracor.com

About Eisai Co., Ltd.

Eisai Co., Ltd. (TSE See Tokyo Stock Exchange.

TSE

1. See Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE).

2. See Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE). : 4523; ADR ADR - Astra Digital Radio : ESALY) is a research-based human health care company that discovers, develops and markets products in more than 30 countries. Through a global network of research facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, Eisai actively participates in all aspects of the worldwide health care system. Eisai employs more than 8,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.eisai.co.jp.

Source: Eisai Co., Ltd.

Contact:

Corporate Communications Department
Eisai Co., Ltd.
TEL: +81-3-3817-5120

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Publication:	JCN Newswires
Date:	Jul 27, 2007
Words:	333
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