Merck KGaA Selects Nippon Shinyaku as Japanese Partner For Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Merck KGaA today announced that it has entered into a Marketing, Distribution, Trademark and Supply Agreement with Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd. of Kyoto, Japan, for the Japanese rights to acamprosate (Campral®) in the treatment of alcohol dependence.
The agreement covers the development, marketing and promotion of acamprosate in Japan by Nippon Shinyaku. It includes milestone payments at key development stages as well as royalties on future sales by Nippon Shinyaku, along with an exclusive supply of acamprosate by Merck.
"Merck is very pleased to conclude this partnership agreement for acamprosate in Japan with Nippon Shinyaku," said Wilfried H. Meyer, Head of Merck KGaA's Established Products business.
Acamprosate has been approved in most major European markets for several years and is commercialized under the brand names Campral® and Aotal®. In addition, acamprosate is currently under registration in the US, and Merck will file an amendment to the New Drug Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later this year. "In this context, the collaboration with Nippon Shinyaku represents a key step in our global marketing strategy," Meyer added.
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