Eisai launches Lenvima in China

The Chinese subsidiary of Japan’s Eisai (TYO: 4523) has launched the kinase inhibitor Lenvima (lenvatinib mesylate) in China.

In China, Lenvima was approved first as a single agent for the treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have not received prior systemic therapy in September 2018. Through this launch, Lenvima is the first new systemic therapy in around 10 years available for the first-line treatment of unresectable HCC in China, where the incidence of HCC is the highest in the world, noted Eisai, whose shares were up 1.07% at 10,350 yen.

In March 2018, Eisai and Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) entered into a strategic collaboration for the worldwide co-development and co-commercialization of Lenvima, and collaboration between the companies is progressing around the world. Merck, which markets the drug in the USA, paid $300 million, with the potential for more than $5 billion in milestones, for certain development and commercialization rights in respect of Lenvima. Going forward, Merck and its Chinese subsidiary MSD China will work to jointly provide information on Lenvima in China as well.