Santen to co-promote Bayer and Regeneron's Eylea in Japan

German drug major Bayer's (BAYN: DE) Japanese subsidiary, Bayer Yakuhin, and Santen Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4536) have entered into a co-promotion agreement for Eylea (aflibercept) Injection in Japan. The drug is co-developed with the USA’s Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: REGN).

As previously announced, Bayer Yakuhin has submitted an application for marketing authorization to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for Eylea for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD; The Pharma Letter June 30, 2011). Regeneron, which retains rights to Eylea in the USA, expects the drug to achieve 2012 US sales of $250-$300 million. As far as Bayer is concerned, it foresees peak sales in its ex-USA territories at over 1 billion euros (1.3 billion).

"With this agreement and upon marketing authorization, a newly formed Bayer Yakuhin ophthalmology field force and Santen, the leading ophthalmology company in Japan, will promote Eylea," said Sebastian Guth, president and chief executive of Bayer Yakuhin, adding: "We expect that the combined Eylea resources of the two companies will allow Eylea to achieve a broader and faster reach into the Japanese ophthalmology community and potentially benefit a greater number of patients."