Eisai: New Fine Granule Formulation of Anti-epileptic Drug Fycompa Launched in Japan

TOKYO, Jul 6, 2020 – (JCN Newswire) – Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that it has launched a new fine granule formulation of its in-house-discovered antiepileptic drug (AED) Fycompa (perampanel hydrate) in Japan on July 6, 2020. Eisai received marketing and manufacturing approval for this formulation on January 23, 2020, and the fine granule formulation was added to Japan’s National Health Insurance drug price list on April 23 of the same year.

In Japan, it is estimated that there are approximately 1 million patients with epilepsy. While epilepsy is a disease that may occur regardless of age, it is said that incidence is particularly high in children and the elderly. This newly launched fine granule formula was developed so that even patients who have difficulty taking tablets such as children or those who have difficulties in taking tablets due to reduced swallowing ability may take this drug. Additionally, greater ability to adjust dosage to match patients’ symptoms becomes possible.

Fycompa is a first-in-class AED discovered at Eisai’s Tsukuba Research Laboratories and was developed in-house. It is a highly selective, noncompetitive AMPA receptor antagonist that reduces neuronal hyperexcitation associated with seizures by targeting glutamate activity at postsynaptic AMPA receptors. In Japan, Fycompa is currently approved for monotherapy and adjunctive use in the treatment of partial-onset seizures (with or without secondarily generalized seizures) in patients with epilepsy 4 years of age and older, as well as adjunctive treatment for primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in patients with epilepsy 12 years of age and older.
With the launch of this fine granule formulation in Japan, Eisai will continue to prioritize the provision of safety information. Furthermore, Eisai will pursue its mission of delivering “seizure freedom” to as many patients as possible, and seek to address the diverse needs of, as well as increasing the benefits provided to, patients with epilepsy and their families.

About Eisai

Eisai Co., Ltd. defines our corporate mission as “giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides,” which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With approximately 10,000 employees working across our global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realize our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products to address unmet medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of Neurology and Oncology. As a global pharmaceutical company, our mission extends to patients around the world through working with key stakeholders to improve access to medicines in developing and emerging countries.

For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit https://www.eisai.com

Contact:
Public Relations Department
Eisai Co., Ltd. 
+81-(0)3-3817-5120

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