Chugai Pharmaceutical has agreed to transfer the rights to manufacture and market the anti-leukemia drug, Vesanoid (tretinoin), in Japan to Fuji Pharma, effective on November 1, 2016. Vesanoid is an orally available vitamin A derivative indicated for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Chugai will continue to distribute the product in the interim to maintain constant supply. Once all Chugai-labeled products have been sold to the market, the distribution of Fuji Pharma-labeled products will be implemented.

In April 2016, the business transfer agreement for Vesanoid to be manufactured and marketed in Japan was concluded among Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH, a German pharmaceutical company, Roche (which owns a majority stake in Chugai), and Chugai. Cheplapharm acquired the manufacturing and marketing rights of Vesanoid in Japan and licensed out those rights to Fuji Pharma.

Source: Chugai Pharmaceutical