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

14
International Operations
In the United States, fiscal 2000 brought the launch of several new
competitors for Aricept and Aciphex. Nonetheless, sales of Aricept
increased to ¥52.7 billion, as its advantages in terms of both efficacy
and adverse event profile continued to distinguish it from other
Alzheimer’s disease treatments. Sales of Aciphex rose sharply, to ¥44.0
billion, as customers continued to give high marks to the drug’s fast
and consistent efficacy. During the period, we received approval from
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to manufacture Aciphex at our
U.S. plant in North Carolina, and preparations are currently in progress
to commence commercial production. In the current period, Eisai’s
sales force will work to expand Aciphex's market share by using data to
distinguish it from competitors. Our sales force also will use clinical
research results and other data supporting the cost and efficacy advantages
of Aricept to communicate the benefits of this important therapy
to physicians, patients, and caregivers. We will also continue to seek
approval for additional indications for both products to increase the
benefits that they provide to patients.
Stringent measures aimed at reducing health care expenditures
contributed to harsh conditions in Europe in fiscal 2000. Despite a
difficult environment, sales of Aricept rose 13.3% and sales of Pariet
climbed 53.7%. Revenue results in Europe show that our European
operations achieved profitability. We have reached our initial objective of
establishing proprietary marketing bases in the United Kingdom, France
and Germany and, in fiscal 2001, will concentrate on building market
share for Aricept and Pariet by seeking approval for additional indications.
All Eisai subsidiaries in Asia were profitable in fiscal 2000. During the
period, we launched Pariet in Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
To reinforce our pharmaceutical operations in China, a particularly promising
market, we liquidated the affiliate Shenyang Eisai Pharmaceutical Co.,
Ltd., and integrated operations at Eisai (Suzhou) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.,
a consolidated subsidiary. In fiscal 2001, we will focus on expanding
market shares for mainstay prescription pharmaceuticals, notably Aricept,
Pariet and the peripheral neuropathy treatment Methycobal, and on
making these products available in more countries in the region.
Eisai Annual Report 2001