Fujisawa Healthcare Inc and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare announced a co-promotion agreement for Protopic (tacrolimus ointment) in the United States. Protopic, currently marketed by Fujisawa, is the first in a new class of steroid-free prescription drugs called topical immunomodulators, or TIMs, to be developed in more than 40 years for the treatment of eczema.

Under the co-promotion agreement, a dedicated sales force of GSK Consumer Healthcare representatives will detail pediatricians while Fujisawa will continue to promote Protopic to dermatologists. The multi-year co-promotion agreement is scheduled to begin July 1, 2003. Under the agreement, GSK Consumer Healthcare will be compensated by Fujisawa based on an agreed formula relating to the sales levels of Protopic.

"This agreement will increase Protopic's presence with pediatricians who are playing an important role in managing eczema in children," said Kurt Lewis, Sr. Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Fujisawa Healthcare. "Additionally, it offers pediatricians a safe and effective treatment option."

"The addition of Protopic to our Specialty Team will help GSK Consumer Healthcare Medical Sales Representatives meet pediatrician needs with an innovative option for the long-term, intermittent treatment of eczema in children," said Alan Schaefer, Vice President, Medical Marketing and Professional Sales, GSK Consumer Healthcare, U.S. "We're excited to add Protopic to our growing portfolio of prescription dermatologic brands. This co-promotion agreement further leverages our professional marketing and selling capabilities."

Recent data presented at the 61st annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in San Francisco demonstrated that monotherapy with Protopic (0.03 percent ointment) is a safe and effective treatment for children and adults with mild to severe atopic dermatitis with a low incidence of side effects.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Protopic in December 2000 for short-term and intermittent long-term therapy to treat the signs and symptoms of moderate to severe eczema in patients for whom conventional treatments are deemed inadvisable because of the potential risks associated with them, or in patients who are not adequately responsive to or intolerant of conventional therapies.

Protopic is available in two concentrations for adults, 0.03 percent and 0.1 percent. For children ages two to 15, only the 0.03 percent concentration is indicated. There may be an increased risk of certain types of skin infections for patients using Protopic. In addition, patients should avoid direct exposure to natural or artificial sunlight and should not cover treated skin with bandages, dressings or wraps.