Lupin arm to distribute anti-depressant drug in Japan

Drug major Lupin on Monday said its Japanese subsidiary Kyowa Pharmaceutical has entered into an agreement with Astellas Pharma for exclusive right to distribute and promote extended-release tablets of quetiapine fumarate in Japan.

In a BSE filing, Lupin said: “Astellas submitted a new drug application (NDA) with the ministry of health, labour and welfare in Japan for extended-release tablets of quetiapine fumarate for the indication of improvement of depressive symptoms associated with bipolar disorder”.

“When Astellas obtains an approval for the new drug application of extended-release tablets of quetiapine fumarate, based on the agreement, Kyowa will exclusively distribute and promote the products in Japan,” it added.