Eisai partners with NewBridge Pharmaceuticals to market Halaven drug in Middle East

Nov 18 2013

Eisai announces today that Halaven^® (eribulin) will be marketed in selected countries within the Middle East region through a new partnership between Eisai EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Russia and Oceania) and NewBridge Pharmaceuticals. Eribulin is indicated for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, which has progressed after at least two chemotherapeutic regimens for advanced disease. Prior therapy should have included two common types of chemotherapy, an anthracycline and a taxane, unless patients were not suitable for these treatments.

"Our partnership with NewBridge is another significant step forward in support of our mission to increase the availability of Halaven worldwide," said Toshitaka Asano, Vice President Market Development Business Unit EMEA.

Breast cancer is one of the major causes of cancer-related death in women and has become the most common malignant disease in the Middle East (ME). Studies show breast cancer is the most common form among women in Saudi Arabia, representing approximately 22% of all cancers. Locally advanced disease is very common in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia and other ME countries. In the United Arab Emirates, 30% of women with breast cancer present in the third stage of the disease. Overall five-year survival rates in Saudi Arabia,Bahrain and Oman are 60%, 69% and 64% respectively.

"We are delighted to work in partnership with Eisai to ensure that Halaven reaches women with metastatic breast cancer who need it across the region," said Joe Henein, President and CEO of NewBridge Pharmaceuticals AfMET (Africa, Middle East and Turkey). "We strive to increase the accessibility of innovative medicines such as Halaven in the Middle East to improve health outcomes and quality of life."

Eisai is dedicated to discovering, developing and producing innovative oncology therapies that can make a difference and impact the lives of women and their families. This passion for people is part of Eisai's human health care (hhc) mission, which strives for better understanding of the needs of patients and their families to increase the benefits health care provides.