Japan's Eisai not interested in M&As, says CEO, outlining group strategy

Haruo Naito, chief executive of Japan's fourth-largest domestic drugmaker Eisai, has said he is not interested in mergers and acquisitions even if an opportunity were to present itself, saying: "we have no spare time to discuss and implement matters relating to M&A because of being busy making efforts to achieve our goals. I don't wish to share the time to manage a new merged company even if acquired or merged."

Nevertheless, he noted that there may be possibilities to enter a strategic alliance with a biopharmaceutical venture company if the firm hold promise or has strong expertise or drug candidates which are a match for Eisai's therapeutic franchise. Mr Naito was speaking at a press conference announcing Eisai's fifth mid-term strategic plan, called the Dramatic LEAP Plan 2011, at its Tokyo head office earlier this month.

Targeting 1,000 billion yen sales in 2011