Lupin arm Kyowa inks pact with Astellas Pharma to sell antidepressant drug

Lupin Limited’s Japanese subsidiary, Kyowa Pharmaceutical Industry Co Ltd, has entered into an agreement with Astellas Pharma Inc providing Kyowa the exclusive right to distribute and promote extended-release tablets of quetiapine fumarate in Japan. Astellas has submitted a new drug application (NDA) with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan for extended-release tablets of quetiapine fumarate for the indication of improvement of depressive symptoms associated with bipolar disorder.

When Astellas obtains an approval for the new drug application of extended-release tablets of quetiapine fumarate, based on the agreement, Kyowa will exclusively distribute and promote the products in Japan.

Dr Fabrice