Eisai launches Lunesta in Japan, debuts Zebinix in France; opens Dubai office

Japanese drug major Eisai (TYO: 4523) says it launched the insomnia treatment Lunesta (eszopiclone) in Japan yesterday. Lunesta received approval in Japan earlier this year (The Pharma Letter January 20), and was subsequently listed on the National Health Insurance (NHI) drug price list on April 17.

Lunesta, originally discovered and developed by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, a US subsidiary of Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, is the first non-benzodiazepine type GABAA agonist to be launched in Japan in 12 years, and is believed to enhance GABA activity while exerting hypnotic and sedative effects.

Results from clinical studies conducted in both Japan and overseas demonstrated that the agent is effective in treating those patients who have trouble falling asleep or wake up often during the night, two major symptoms of insomnia. Moreover, a distinctive feature of Lunesta is that patients do not experience clinically problematic issues such as dependency or carry-over effects, or develop a tolerance (experience diminished efficacy) with long-term use.