Eisai Launches SAHNE® Medicinal Spray and SAHNE® Medicinal Cream in Japan

TOKYO, Sept. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo; CEO: Haruo Naito; hereinafter referred to as "Eisai") recently announced that it launched Sahne® Medicated Spray and Sahne® Medicated Cream (both Class 2 over-the-counter drugs; hereinafter referred to as "Sahne Medicated Products") in pharmacies and drugstores across Japan on August 25, 2020. As new hand cream products under the Sahne brand series, they have long been favored by consumers.

Eisai conducted a survey of 1,000 women aged 40–50 in April 2020. The results revealed that approximately 70% of respondents reported experiencing skin dryness and/or an increase in the area of dry skin compared to five years earlier. Furthermore, individuals with dry skin described their discomfort as follows: “My thighs, calves, flanks, and back have all started to feel dry,” “I feel slightly uncomfortable when my underwear rubs against my skin,” and “Whenever I take off my clothes, the friction between my dry skin and the fabric makes me feel very uncomfortable.” This condition is generally attributed to a reduction in sebum, natural moisturizing factors, and intercellular lipids in the stratum corneum, which are essential for maintaining skin hydration. Therefore, women in their 30s may require more reliable pharmaceutical-grade moisturizing effects to address their skin conditions.

“Sahne Medical” is a Class II over-the-counter drug containing the active ingredient “heparinoid.” It provides intense hydration for dry skin (xerosis) that worsens with age. Heparinoid penetrates the stratum corneum, increases natural moisturizing factors, and restores the intercellular lipid structure of the stratum corneum, thereby moisturizing dry skin.

The product line is available in two forms—spray and lotion—allowing selection based on the application site and the TPO (Time, Place, and Occasion) principle. “Sahne Medicated Spray” is the first over-the-counter heparinoid-containing spray-on lotion. Housed in an invertible container, it delivers the medication as a fine mist, facilitating application to areas that are difficult to reach independently, such as the back, flanks, and posterior thighs. Additionally, the tube-packaged “Sahne Medicated Cream” is portable, providing relief from intolerable skin dryness and discomfort while traveling or away from home.

For 66 years since its establishment, the Sahne brand has been a comforting companion in many people’s daily lives. With the launch of the new Sahne Medical (pharmaceutical product), Eisai can now treat skin conditions that were previously difficult to address. By leveraging the moisturizing efficacy of its pharmaceutical care products and the gentle nature of Sahne products, Eisai aims to further meet users’ needs for relief from dryness and discomfort.