Eisai has entered into a marketing and distribution agreement in China with Orion Corporation, an Espoo, Finland-headquartered, pharmaceutical company, for two of Orion’s Parkinson’s disease drugs, Comtan (entacapone) and Stalevo (levodopa/entacapone/carbidopa combination agent).

Under the agreement, Eisai acquired from Orion the exclusive rights to market the two products in China and began distribution and promotion through its Chinese subsidiary, Eisai China. The two drugs expand Eisai’s portfolio of neurology products in China, which includes Eldepryl (monoamine oxidase inhibitor), for treating Parkinson’s disease, Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride), for treating Alzheimer’s disease, and Methycobal (mecobalamin) for treating peripheral neuropathy.

Comtan, which is used in combination with levodopa, is an agent that helps levodopa reach the brain by
inhibiting peripheral metabolism by catechol-O-methyltransferase. Stalevo is a combination agent consisting of levodopa, and two other compounds that help levodopa reach the brain, entacapone and carbidopa, according to Eisai.

Source: Eisai