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Teijin to sell osteoarthritis analgesic patch formulation

02 Apr '15

2 min read

Teijin Limited has inked an agreement with Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., to distribute TT-063, an anti-inflammatory analgesic patch formulation for the anticipated indication of osteoarthritis.

The agreement allows TT-063 to be co-marketed by Teijin Pharma Limited, a subsidiary of Teijin Group and Taisho Toyama Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., also a subsidiary of the Taisho Pharmaceutical Group.

TT-063 contains the compound S-flurbiprofen, an analgesic with percutaneous permeability, which was discovered by Tokuhon Corporation, also a Taisho Pharmaceutical subsidiary.

According to a Teijin press release, good efficacy and safety results were obtained in Phase 3 clinical trials, which were conducted by Taisho Pharmaceutical and involved 633 knee osteoarthritis patients.

In October 2014, Taisho Pharmaceutical filed for approval to manufacture and market TT-063 for the indication of osteoarthritis with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease caused mainly by the degeneration and abrasion of joint cartilage.

“It is categorised into knee osteoarthritis, lumbar spondylosis and some other types of osteoarthritis according to the affected area,” Tejin said.

In Japan, an estimated 24 million people have knee osteoarthritis and 35 million people have lumbar spondylosis, approximately 30 per cent of whom have pain symptoms.

“As this pain often reduces the patient’s quality of life, there are high hopes for new patch formulations that could act as powerful anti-inflammatory analgesics,” it added.

Teijin is focusing on bone and joint diseases as one of the key therapeutic targets of its medical and pharmaceutical businesses.

The company already offers medical products for joint diseases, such as Synvisc viscosupplement for knee osteoarthritis pain.

It also recently established Teijin Nakashima Medical, a joint venture for the development, manufacture and sale of joint prosthesis.

By co-marketing TT-063, Teijin Group looks forward to improving the quality of life for osteoarthritis patients.

Teijin is a technology-driven global group offering solutions in the areas of sustainable transportation, information and electronics, safety and protection, environment and energy, and healthcare.

Its main fields of operation are high-performance fibres such as aramid, carbon fibres & composites, healthcare, films, resin & plastic processing, polyester fibres, products converting and IT.

The group has some 150 companies and around 16,000 employees spread out over 20 countries worldwide and posted consolidated sales of JPY784.4 billion or $7.7 billion in fiscal ending March 31, 2014. (AR)

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