Marketing and Distribution Transfer of a Leukopenia Treating Agent "Leukoprol^®"

Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Tokyo, President: Dr. Tadashi Hirata) and Welfide Corporation (Head Office: Osaka, President: Mr. Shinichiro Iida) agreed to transfer marketing and distribution of a leukopenia treating agent "Leukoprol ^® (general name: mirimostim)" from Welfide to Kyowa Hakko. Marketing and distribution of the product by Kyowa Hakko will start on the 18th October, 2000.

"Leukoprol ^®" is a macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) preparation and acts on the monocyte and macrophage precursor cells to promote their differentiation and proliferation. It further acts on monocytes and macrophages and promotes secretion of granulocyte-colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) and granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factors (GM-CSF) to increase leukocytes. In Japan, the product was launched in 1993 and has been highly evaluated by medical institutions.

Kyowa Hakko has already a G-CSF preparation to increase leukocytes, "Neu-up ^®", in its product lineup. Now with two products by marketing and distribution transfer of "Leukoprol ^®", Kyowa Hakko will be able to use G-CSF and M-CSF differentially based on good understanding of their characters and further contribute to the treatment of leukopenia by cancer chemotherapy.