Dec. 20, 2016
Teijin Pharma, Amgen to Jointly Research and Develop New Therapy for Kidney Diseases
Teijin Pharma Limited
Teijin Pharma Limited, the core company of the Teijin Group’s healthcare business, announced today that it has entered into a collaboration and license agreement with a leading biotechnology company, Amgen Inc. regarding research and development of new therapeutic agents for kidney diseases and disorders. The agreement grants to Amgen a worldwide (ex-Japan) exclusive license to develop and commercialize compounds discovered or developed during collaborative research. Teijin Pharma will hold the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the compounds in Japan.
Kidneys have an important role in the urinary excretion of waste from the body and in the maintenance of fluid homeostasis such as the regulation of electrolytes and water balance. If the kidneys’ functions are significantly impaired, a patient suffers a serious deterioration in the quality of life (QoL), leading to end stage renal disease and the necessity of dialysis or a kidney transplant. Most currently available drugs work indirectly to reduce the burden on kidneys in order to help prevent organ failure, so new treatment options that provide superior efficacy and safety are desired.
Under the terms of the agreement, Teijin Pharma will receive an upfront payment in addition to potential milestones and royalties, and will have the right to co-promote potential products in select Asian markets.
Teijin Pharma has been contributing to the development of new drugs to solve unmet medical needs. The nephrology collaboration with Amgen, which possesses the highest level of expertise and global development capabilities, is expected to enhance the value of our research theme for discovering new therapeutic compounds in this field.
About the Teijin Group
Teijin (TSE: 3401) is a technology-driven global group offering advanced 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 fibers such as aramid, carbon fibers & composites, healthcare, films, resin & plastic processing, polyester fibers, products converting and IT. The group has some 150 companies and around 16,000 employees spread out over 20 countries worldwide. It posted consolidated sales of JPY790.7 billion (USD 7.4 billion) and total assets of JPY 823.4 billion (USD 7.7 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016. Please visit www.teijin.com.
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Teijin Limited
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