Eisai to co-promote Pfizer's Lyrica in Japan

Published: 24 Sep 2009 19:49:37 PST

TOKYO, Sept 25 - U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Japan's Eisai said on Friday they will co-promote Pfizer's Lyrica nerve pain treatment in Japan once Tokyo regulators approve the drug which is already available in the United States and Europe.

Eisai expects the deal to "positively" impact the No.4 Japanese drugmaker's revenues and profits beginning in the year to March 2011, an Eisai spokesman said, declining to elaborate on the outlook for marketing approval for Lyrica.

Eisai and Pfizer have also agreed on a revision to their marketing contract on Eisai's top-selling Aricept treatment for alzheimer's disease, deciding to terminate Pfizer's rights to co-promote the drug in Japan at the end of 2012, they said.

Shares of Eisai traded down 3.2 percent at 3,360 yen, little affected by the announcement.