Benzinga | Mar 24, 2021 08:18AM EDT

Horizon Therapeutics Announces Its Partner Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation Has Received Manufacturing And Marketing Approval For UPLIZNA By The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour And Welfare

Horizon Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:HZNP) today announced that its strategic partner Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC) has received manufacturing and marketing approval of UPLIZNA for the prevention of relapses of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (including neuromyelitis optica) from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

MTPC has rights to the development and commercialization of UPLIZNA for NMOSD as well as other potential future indications in Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. Horizon is eligible to receive milestone payments based on certain milestones, plus payments based, in part, on sales revenue.

"The UPLIZNA approval in Japan is a significant milestone for NMOSD patients as it provides another treatment option for this devastating disease," said Tim Walbert, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Horizon. "We continue to aggressively execute on a global expansion strategy with our other on-market and investigational medicines with the goal of bringing important treatments to those impacted by rare, autoimmune and severe inflammatory diseases."