Eisai Co., Ltd. (headquarters: Tokyo, president: Haruo Naito) and Astra (head-quarters: SÖdertälje, Sweden, president and CEO: HÅkan Mogren) have reached an amicable settlement and agreed to terminate all pending and potential legal actions with immediate effect, regarding proton pump inhibitors, Astra's omeprazole and Eisai's rabeprazole. The settlement involves mutual recognition of certain intellectual property rights and payment of royalties to both companies.
Eisai recognizes the value and strength of Astra's patents and patent applications in the field of proton pump inhibitors. The settlement grants Eisai a license from Astra to manufacture and market globally, products containing rabeprazole on a royalty fee basis.
Astra recognizes the value and strength of Eisai's intellectual property rights covering rabepazole and formulations containing proton pump inhibitors. The settlement grants Astra a license to certain formulation technologies developed by Eisai for certain future omeprazole formulations, subject to a royalty fee to Eisai.
Rabeprazole (E3810) is filed in Japan, in the pre-filing stage in Europe, and in Phase III in the US.
Omeprazole is marketed in many countries under the major brand names including Losec
and Prilosec.
