Eisai Co., Ltd's US subsidiary Eisai Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to transfer ownership of its Research Triangle Park-based manufacturing facility (North Carolina Plant) in North Carolina, US, to Biogen Inc.

This agreement expands upon the strategic manufacturing alliance agreement concerning the North Carolina Plant entered into in December 2012.

Under the new agreement, Eisai will transfer to Biogen the entire North Carolina Plant site, including the oral solid dose (OSD) facility which had been leased by Biogen. Additionally, Biogen will continue to manufacture OSD products for Eisai, and Eisai will subsequently commission Biogen to manufacture all Eisai parenteral products currently made at the parenteral facility. In accordance with the execution of this agreement, approximately 100 Eisai Inc. employees may be offered employment at Biogen, effective upon closing of the deal. This agreement is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to the satisfaction of all customary provisions generally attached to similar transactions.

This decision is based on Eisai's global logistics strategy which aims to optimize the global supply chain. After the transfer of manufacturing operations to Biogen takes place, Eisai will continue to base supply chain management services in the Research Triangle Park area. Together with maintaining operations of global contract manufacturing management and quality assurance in North Carolina, production at the Baltimore plant in Maryland will continue unchanged to supply products for the United States as well as the global market.

By responding flexibly to the changes in the global environment and the diversification of customer needs as well as realizing the stable supply of high quality products at affordable pricing, Eisai strives to address the diverse needs of, and further contribute to increasing the benefits for, patients and their families.

Through cutting-edge science and medicine, Biogen Inc. discovers, develops and delivers to patients worldwide innovative therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, hematologic conditions and autoimmune disorders.