For Immediate Release

Company name: DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED
Representative: Joji Nakayama, President and CEO
(Code no.: 4568, First Section of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya Stock Exchanges)
Please address inquiries to Toshiaki Sai, Corporate Officer,
Vice President, Corporate Communications Department
Telephone: +81-3-6225-1126 (Public Relations)
+81-3-6225-1125 (Investor Relations)
http://www.daiichisankyo.com/

Daiichi Sankyo Receives Approval to Manufacture and Market Memary(R) 5mg, 10mg and 20mg Tablets for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease in Japan

TOKYO, Japan (January 21, 2011) － Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo), today announced that it has received approval in Japan to manufacture and market Memary^® 5mg, 10mg and 20mg Tablets (generic name: Memantine Hydrochloride) given once daily for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

 

Memary is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist developed by Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH (head office, Germany). This drug was approved for use in the treatment of patients with AD by the European EMEA in 2002 and by the U.S. FDA in 2003. It is marketed in 70 countries around the world, and is positioned as a standard care pharmaceutical for moderate to severe AD.

 

By offering a new treatment option with a distinct mechanism for the treatment of AD in Japan, Daiichi Sankyo is confident that it can reduce unmet needs and contribute to improving quality of life for patients and their families.

 

Memary^® Overview

Product Name	MEMARY® TABLETS 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg
Generic Name	Memantine Hydrochloride
Indication	Treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's Disease
Dosage and Administration	Generally, the starting dose 5 mg is administrated orally once a day. The maintenance dose of 20 mg is achieved by upward titration of 5 mg per week.
Approval Date	January 21, 2011
Remarks	Memantine is licensed from Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH