Sanofi And Takeda Partner In Diabetes Patient Care In Japan

Sanofi and Takeda Pharmaceutical announced that the companies have signed into an alliance to establish a collaborative system in the field of diabetes awareness and education in Japan.

The agreement between the two companies aims to:

• Improve public awareness on prevention and management of diabetes
• Give educational support to diabetes patients regarding lifestyle management and drug treatment
• Supply healthcare professionals with educational information to improve diabetes care

The partnership will also initiate formulation development studies of a fixed dose combination of tofogliflozin (Apleway) and alogliptin (Nesina).

According to the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, an estimated 9.5 million Japanese are suspected to be diabetic. One in every four people in Japan is considered to be pre-diabetic. By 2025, up to 15 million Japanese will be afflicted with diabetes.

Jez Moulding, President and Representative Director of Sanofi K.K. and SVP of the company’s Japan & Pacific Region operations, said that diabetes as a single health issue demands more than a single company or government can provide in terms of solutions. “Closely aligning efforts at all levels is essential to achieve a breakthrough in preventing, diagnosing and treating diabetes. To this end, we are excited to join forces with Takeda, Japan's largest pharmaceutical company… to expand existing and create new approaches to improving patient care and, ultimately, improving outcomes for Japanese living with diabetes.”

Masato Iwasaki, SVP of Pharmaceutical Marketing Division of Takeda, said, “Many effective solutions for diabetes treatment have been brought to market in the last 20 years, but many patients are still unable to meet their blood sugar control targets and many still experience complications. This close agreement between two leading companies in the field of diabetes holds great significance for finding solutions for diabetes treatment… we are confident that we will be better equipped to facilitate diabetes care for patients based on their individual needs."

No initial payment or compensation was included in the agreement. Both Sanofi and Takeda will conduct their own product promotion and management of product safety information in the country.