Sucamp Pharma, Abott unveil AMITIZA in Japan

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc and Abott have launched AMITIZA ®(lubiprostone) in Japan.  AMITIZA  is a prescription medicine to treat chronic constipation not caused by organic diseases.

This prescription medicine was approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare in Japan in June.  

Ryuji Ueno, MD, Ph. D, Sucampo’s  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said, “Millions of  patients in Japan have been suffering from chronic constipation, without efficacious and well-tolerated, long-term treatment options. We are pleased to bring AMITIZA’s experience of six years, and over six million prescriptions in the U.S.  to the Japanese market, to benefit the healthcare providers and patients who need it.”

AMITIZA will significantly advance the treatment of chronic constipation and will be the only prescription option available in Japan for this condition. This medicine is the world’s first chloride channel activator approved for therapeutic use. It also has a unique mode of action that induces natural bowel movement frequency that is more in line with normal bowel habits. 

Akihiko Honda,  General Manager, Abbott Japan said, “Chronic constipation is a medical condition affecting several million people in Japan and is one of the most common digestive complaints.” Mr. Honda also said, “Healthcare providers will now have a prescription option to help treat this condition more effectively and longer-term, compared to currently approved over-the-counter medications.”  

Abbott will promote and distribute AMITIZA in Japan under the terms of the 2009 license, commercialization and supply agreement with Sucampo.  Amitiza is a prostone, a local activator  of type-2 chloride ion channels (ClC-2) in cells lining the small intestine. 

The medicine is approved in the U.S. for treating of two constipation-related indications, and in Switzerland and the UK for one constipation-related indication.  

AMITIZA is a registered trademark of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc is a global pharmaceutical company. It focuses on innovative research,  discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary drugs based on prostones.

Abbott is a global, broad-based healthcare company involved in discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics.