PBM acquires AkaRx, avatrombopag from Eisai Inc.

Eisai Co. Ltd. announced this week that Eisai Inc., the company’s subsidiary located in the United States, has entered into a shared purchase agreement that will transfer all of Eisai Inc.’s shares of AkaRx Inc. to PBM Capital Group LLC.

Under the shared purchase agreement, PBM will accept ownership of AkaRx from Eisai and the global rights for the development, marketing and manufacturing of the investigational thrombocytopenia treatment avatrombopag. PBM will give Eisai an initial upfront payment and milestone payments for avatrombopag’s commercialization.

Avatrombopag is currently being researched in a Phase III clinical study as a potential treatment option for thrombocytopenia in patients who suffer from chronic liver disease and are currently receiving an elective procedure. Due to its purchase of avatrombopag, PBM will be taking over the study, which is being conducted in Japan, the United States, Europe and Asia.

Now that Eisai has transferred all shares of AkaRx to PBM, the company will shift its focus to oncology and neurology. The share purchase agreement effect on Eisai’s consolidated financial results has been included in the Notification Regarding Revision of Consolidated Financial Results Forecasts (IFRS) for the end of the company’s fiscal year on March 31.