TOKYO :  Eisai Co., Ltd. has entered into an agreement to grant exclusive development and marketing rights for its anti-obesity agent lorcaserin hydrochloride (generic name, product name in the United States: BELVIQ, product name for once-daily formulation in the United States: BELVIQ XR, “lorcaserin”) in 17 countries(1) in Latin America and the Caribbean, excluding Brazil, to Eurofarma Laboratorios S.A. which has a business foundation in Latin America.

Under this agreement, Eisai will supply Eurofarma with lorcaserin. Eisai will receive a one-time contractual payment and is eligible for milestone payments for development and sales in each country.

Lorcaserin is a novel chemical entity that is believed to decrease food consumption and promote satiety by selectively activating serotonin 2C receptors in the brain. Lorcaserin was approved in 2012 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adult patients with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese) or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related co-morbid condition, and was launched in the United States in June 2013. Lorcaserin was approved in Mexico and Brazil with the same indication as for the United States in July 2016 and December 2016, respectively.

By entering into this agreement with Eurofarma, which has a strong business foundation throughout the region, Eisai aims to continue its effort to make lorcaserin widely available to appropriate patients as soon as possible.