Eisai acquires AkaRx for approximately $255 million

Eisai Inc. (Headquarters: Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, Chairman and CEO: Hajime Shimizu, "Eisai") today announces the successful completion of its acquisition of the biopharmaceutical company, AkaRx, Inc. (Headquarters: Bridgewater, New Jersey, CEO: Robert E. Desjardins), for approximately $255 million. As a result of this acquisition, AkaRx is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eisai Inc. and Eisai has the exclusive worldwide rights to develop, market and manufacture AKR-501.

AKR-501 is an investigational thrombopoietin receptor agonist that, based on preclinical studies, increases platelet production by stimulating megakaryocytic proliferation and differentiation. Eisai is currently conducting Phase II clinical trials of AKR-501 in the United States as a potential treatment for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and thrombocytopenia associated with liver diseases (TLD), and has confirmed proof of concept in the clinical studies for ITP. In addition, Eisai will explore the compound's potential as a treatment for chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT).