TOKYO, Feb 21, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that it received the President's Award at the 8th Technology Management and Innovation Awards held by the Japan Techno-Economics Society (JATES)(1). The award was presented to Eisai for its discovery of the orally available kinase inhibitor LENVIMA (generic name: lenvatinib mesylate) and its contributions towards patients with liver disease.The Technology Management and Innovation Awards was established in 2012 with the aim of contributing to the development of Japan's economy, social transformation, and global competitiveness by introducing a wide range of outstanding innovations originating in Japan. This year marks the 8th anniversary of the award.

This award symbolizes high evaluation for Eisai's creation of the new treatment LENVIMA in Japan, the expedition of contributions towards patients through its strategic collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada) to globally co-develop and co-promote LENVIMA, and Eisai's efforts to support patients with liver disease based on its corporate philosophy.LENVIMA was discovered at Eisai's Tsukuba Research Laboratories. It is an orally administered multiple receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor that selectively inhibits the kinase activities of proangiogenic pathway-related RTKs. Eisai obtained the approval of manufacturing and marketing in Japan for LENVIMA indicated for the treatment of unresectable thyroid cancer in March 2015. In March 2018, LENVIMA received its first approval worldwide with an additional indication for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan. LENVIMA thus became the first systemic therapy to be approved in Japan for front-line treatment of HCC in approximately 10 years. Eisai has also established its own liver disease support site(2) to realize contributions to patients that cannot be achieved with drugs alone. The support site aims to help patients with hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer to resolve the anxiety they face in treatment and recuperation, as well as to foster a positive mindset towards treatment and an active lifestyle.Eisai positions oncology as a key franchise area and aims to create innovative drugs that act towards healing cancer. In addition to innovation in drug development based on cutting-edge cancer research, Eisai aims to build an oncology ecosystem including prediction and prevention of cancer. Eisai will make continuous efforts to meet the diversified needs of, and increase the benefits provided to patients with cancer, their families, and healthcare professionals.(1) Institute founded in October 1966 to research technology, management, and economics and facilitate exchange among sectors thereof, to promote industrial activities (Japanese only): http://www.jates.or.jp/(3) Eisai's Liver Disease Support Site (Japanese only): https://patients.eisai.jp/kanshikkan-support/

About LENVIMA (generic name: lenvatinib mesylate)

LENVIMA, discovered and developed by Eisai, is a multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (RTK) that inhibits the kinase activities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors VEGFR1 (FLT1), VEGFR2 (KDR), and VEGFR3 (FLT4). LENVIMA also inhibits other kinases that have been implicated in pathogenic angiogenesis, tumor growth, and cancer progression in addition to normal cellular function, including fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors FGFR1-4, the platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα), KIT, and RET.

In syngeneic mouse tumor models, LENVIMA decreased the tumor-associated macrophages population and increased the activated cytotoxic T cells population. LENVIMA demonstrated greater antitumor activity in combination with an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody compared to either treatment alone.

Currently, LENVIMA has been approved as a treatment for thyroid cancer in over 60 countries including Japan, the United States and in Europe; as a treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma in over 55 countries including Japan, the United States, in Europe, China, and in Asia; as well as in combination with everolimus as a treatment for renal cell carcinoma (second-line) in over 50 countries including the United States, in Europe, and in Asia. Additionally, it was also approved in the combination treatment of LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA (generic name: pembrolizumab) for advanced endometrial carcinoma in the United States, Australia, and Canada. In Europe, the agent was launched under the brand name Kisplyx for renal cell carcinoma. KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A.

About Eisai

Eisai Co., Ltd. is a leading global research and development-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. We define our corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With approximately 10,000 employees working across our global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realize our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products in various therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs, including Neurology and Oncology.

In its medium-term business plan EWAY2025, Eisai is aiming to become a "Medico Societal Innovator" (a company that changes society through creating medicines and providing solutions), and is working on establishment of ecosystem platform business utilizing various data such as a large amount of clinical data, experiences, and know-how.

For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit https://www.eisai.co.jp.

Contact:Media Inquiries:
Public Relations Department,
Eisai Co., Ltd.
+81-(0)3-3817-5120

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