Eisai enters agreement over balsalazide products

Eisai Inc has secured the exclusive rights to co-promote Colazal (balsalazide disodium) 750 mg capsules and balsalazide tablets following an agreement with Salix Pharmaceuticals.

The co-promotion deal will see the capsules and tablets promoted by Eisai if and when they are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“We are pleased to be working with Salix to co-promote Colazal, an important treatment for patients with ulcerative colitis,” said Lonnel Coats, president and chief operating officer, Eisai.

Mr Coats said that the firm’s presence in the field has already been built through its Aricept and Aciphex treatments, for Alzheimer’s and gastroesophageal reflux disease respectively.

Carolyn Logan, president and chief executive officer of Salix, said that the agreement will allow the two firms to “combine their experience”.

Currently effectiveness and safety of Colazal use beyond eight weeks in children – aged between five and 17 – and 12 weeks in adults has not been determined.

Eisai Inc is the US subsidiary of Eisai Co, the Japan-based pharmaceutical company.