Eisai Co., Ltd. has entered into an agreement with Eurofarma Laboratorios, to grant exclusive development and marketing rights for its anti-obesity agent lorcaserin hydrochloride in 17 countries, in Latin America and the Caribbean, excluding Brazil,
Under this agreement, Eisai will supply Eurofarma with lorcaserin. Eisai will receive a one-time contractual payment and is eligible for milestone payments for development and sales in each country.
Lorcaserin is a novel chemical entity that is believed to decrease food consumption and promote satiety by selectively activating serotonin 2C receptors in the brain.
Lorcaserin was approved in 2012 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adult patients with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese) or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related co-morbid condition, and was launched in the United States in June 2013.
Lorcaserin was approved in Mexico and Brazil with the same indication as for the United States in July 2016 and December 2016, respectively.
By entering into this agreement with Eurofarma, which has a strong business foundation throughout the region, Eisai aims to continue its effort to make lorcaserin widely available to appropriate patients as soon as possible.
