Eisai Co., Ltd. Annual Report 2001 - Eisai GmbH

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March, we concluded a consulting agreement on G-protein coupled
receptor (GPCR) research with Professor Masashi Yanagisawa, an
Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, encompassing
the purification and identification of orphan GPCR ligands, which are
the unknown ligands, or molecules, bound to GPCRs. This agreement
marks the launch of a full-scale GPCR program, the aim of which is to
target GPCR in the discovery of neurological treatments. In the field of
Alzheimer’s disease treatments—a field largely pioneered by Aricept—
we signed an exclusive research agreement with Neurogentics Inc. for
Alzheimer’s disease targets involving human genetics.
In our second key therapeutic area, gastroenterology, the fast
and consistent efficacy of the proton pump inhibitor Aciphex/Pariet,
initially developed as a treatment of for a variety of gastrointestinal
disorders, is contributing to its emergence as a major global drug. We
are also stepping up efforts to develop additional indications for this
important product. To date, Aciphex/Pariet has been granted regulatory
approval as a treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
in Japan, the United States and the European Union (E.U.) and as a
treatment for symtomatic GORD(GERD) in the E.U. We have filed for
approval for Aciphex/Pariet for Helicobacter pylori eradication in the
E.U., and have completed Phase III clinical trials for this indication in
the United States. Also in the area of Helicobacter pylori eradication,
we are conducting research on a new substance, E3309, a highly
selective antimicrobial. We are continuing to strenthen our
gastroentrology pipeline.
Research in the area of cancer is carried out at the Tsukuba
Research Laboratories and the Eisai Research Institute of Boston,
which specializes in advanced synthetic organic chemistry and
biological screening; and is particularly strong in the synthesis of
natural bioactive compounds. Researchers at these facilities are
Eisai Annual Report 2001