Eisai inks deal for epilepsy drug

Japan's Eisai has forged a €95 million licensing deal with Portugal's Bial to market the anti-epileptic Zebinix in Europe following an approval. Bial is hoping for a second-quarter EMEA approval of Zebinix with plans to co-promote the drug in Europe for adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures, with or without secondary generalization, in patients 18 years and older with epilepsy.

If all goes according to plan, Bial will receive €95 million in an upfront payment plus milestone payments for further epilepsy approvals within Europe. Bial will maintain ongoing development and production rights and the option to co-promote with Eisai throughout Europe and will supply finished product to Eisai. Zebinix has been put through three late-stage trials.

"It is as important to consider the implications on the quality of a patient's day-to-day life, as well as effective seizure control, when making the therapeutic evaluation of a new anti epileptic agent," said Professor E. Ben-Menachem, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. "In addition to sustained reductions in seizure frequency, Zebinix also demonstrated a significant improvement in patient quality of life and reduction in depressive symptoms."

- check out the Eisai release [1]

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