Eisai, a research-based pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and markets products worldwide, and Zeria Pharmaceutical Co,  announced that they have concluded a licence agreement concerning E3710, a novel proton pump inhibitor (PPI) discovered and developed in-house by Eisai.

Based on this agreement, Eisai will grant Zeria the exclusive rights to develop and co-promote, and the non-exclusive right to manufacture, E3710 in Japan. In addition, Eisai will receive down payment and additional royalties from Zeria, and after marketing authorisation has been successfully obtained, Eisai will pay Zeria a certain consideration. While Zeria will develop E3710 and work to obtain marketing authorisation, the two companies will collaborate on marketing E3710 after launch.

E3710 is a novel PPI discovered by Eisai as a successor to Pariet, and compared to existing PPIs, potentially provides a stronger and a longer-lasting inhibitory effect on gastric acid secretion. E3710 shows promise as a best-in-class treatment which could shorten the treatment period and meet the needs of patients for whom existing PPIs are inadequate.

This licence agreement will enhance the product pipeline of Zeria, who focuses on gastrointestinal diseases as a key franchise area, and maximise the value of Eisai’s compound. Both Eisai and Zeria have a strong track record in the field of gastrointernal diseases (Eisai with the PPI Pariet and the gastritis /gastric ulcer treatment Selbex, Zeria with the ulcerative colitis treatment Asacol and the world’s first functional dyspepsia treatment Acofide) and will conduct co-promotional activities with the aim of bringing a product to the market for acid related diseases as soon as possible. Through this collaboration on E3710, Eisai and Zeria aim to satisfy the medical needs of acid related diseases and further contribute to the treatment of patients.