Chugai Transfers Rights to Maruho for Oxarol® Ointment 25μg/g and Oxarol® Lotion 25μg/g, Therapeutic Agents for Keratosis including Psoriasis Vulgaris, and Marduox® Ointment, a Therapeutic Agent for Psoriasis Vulgaris
TOKYO and OSAKA, January 30, 2019 -- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (hereafter "Chugai") and Maruho Co., Ltd. (hereafter "Maruho") announced that both companies have entered into an agreement, under which from December 1, 2019 Chugai will transfer the relevant rights in Japan to Maruho for Oxarol® Ointment 25μg/g and Oxarol® Lotion 25μg/g, therapeutic agents for keratosis including psoriasis vulgaris, and Marduox® Ointment, a therapeutic agent for psoriasis vulgaris (hereafter "Products"). In Japan, Chugai obtained the manufacturing and marketing approval of the Products, and Maruho has marketed the Products exclusively.
The Products are topical formulations containing active vitamin D3 derivative maxacalcitol as an active pharmaceutical ingredient, which was originated and is being manufactured by Chugai. The Products have been jointly developed by both companies since the launch of Oxarol® Ointment 25μg/g in 2001, and marketed exclusively by Maruho in Japan.
As of December 1, 2019, Maruho will succeed the manufacturing and marketing approval of the Products in Japan. Subsequently, Maruho will retain the rights for research, development, manufacturing and marketing of the Products. Maruho will continue to market and appropriately provide and collect relevant information for the Products, and will ensure there is a stable supply.
As a pharmaceutical company specializing in dermatology, Maruho hopes to further contribute to patients suffering from psoriasis vulgaris through the succession of the relevant rights for the Products in Japan.
Chugai will maintain the manufacturing and marketing approval in Japan and continue to market Oxarol® Injection 2.5μg, 5μg, 10μg, therapeutic agents for secondary hyperparathyroidism. Chugai and Maruho will cooperate closely to achieve a smooth transfer of the rights for the Products.
The impact on the consolidated financials for the fiscal year ending December 2019 of Chugai is expected to be negligible.