Eisai and Seikagaku Enter into Agreement for Joint Commercialization of Osteoarthritis Therapeutic SI-613 in Korea

TOKYO, Oct. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, hereinafter “Eisai”) and Seikagaku Corporation (Headquarters: Tokyo, President: Ken Mizutani, “Seikagaku”) recently announced that the two companies have signed an agreement for the joint marketing of SI-613 (diclofenac combined with sodium hyaluronate), Seikagaku’s first-in-class osteoarthritis therapeutic agent, in South Korea. This marks the second country where a joint marketing agreement has been concluded, following the agreement signed by Eisai and Seikagaku on April 1, 2020, for the co-development and joint marketing of SI-613 in China.

Under the agreement, Eisai Korea Inc. (a subsidiary of Eisai) will obtain exclusive marketing rights for SI-613 in South Korea and apply for its manufacturing and marketing approval. Upon approval, Seikagaku will supply the product to Eisai, while Eisai will be responsible for distribution. Eisai will pay Seikagaku an upfront payment and subsequent sales milestone payments.

Osteoarthritis is a disease caused by damage to articular cartilage due to aging and other factors, leading to inflammation and pain, which in turn results in a decline in quality of life (QOL). Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of the disease, with an estimated 3.2 million patients in South Korea.^*1It is expected that this figure will continue to rise with population aging.

SI-613 is diclofenac-conjugated sodium hyaluronate, formed by chemically conjugating hyaluronic acid with diclofenac (an anti-inflammatory drug) using Seikagaku’s proprietary drug conjugation technology. This agent provides the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of diclofenac, and in addition to the joint function-improving effects of sodium hyaluronate, it is designed to deliver these benefits through a drug delivery system.^*3Provides sustained-release effects^*2. Therefore, SI-613 is expected to rapidly and sustainably alleviate pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.

Under the agreement, Eisai aims to address the unmet medical needs of patients with knee osteoarthritis by leveraging the knowledge and network acquired through its operations in Korea. Seikagaku will seek to maximize the value of SI-613 in Korea by utilizing Eisai’s business infrastructure in the country.

The two companies will provide a new treatment for knee osteoarthritis in South Korea through the commercialization of SI-613, aiming to improve patients' QOL.