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Eisai Announces Vasolan(R) (Ischaemic Heart Disease Treatment) Received Approval for Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter and Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachy

Wednesday March 5 1:30 AM

Tokyo, Japan, Mar 4, 2008 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4523) announced today that Vasolan(R) Tablets 40mg (generic name: verapamil hydrochloride) received approval for the additional indications of the treatment of atrial fibrillation/flutter and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. This approval makes Vasolan the first oral form of calcium channel blockers approved for the treatment of tachyarrhythmia in Japan.

Vasolan is a calcium channel blocker with coronary/peripheral vasodilator actions. It has been used to treat ischaemic heart disease for more than forty years. For many years, Vasolan has been used to treat arrhythmia in the U.S. and European countries because of its beneficially effects on heart rate control in artial fibrillation/flutter and stopping/preventing paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. In Japan, Vasolan for intravenous injection 5mg that contains the same active ingredients as the oral form tablet has been approved for the treatment of tachyarrhythmia (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation/flutter and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia). The additional indications approved today for the oral form of Vasolan will provide a wider range of treatment options for patients who are suffering from tachyarrhythmia.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common tachyarrhythmia. Its risk increases with age, and medical need to treat atrial fibrillation becomes more critical in Japan's aging society.

There are three general strategies to treat atrial fibrillation: rate control, rhythm control, and prevention of thromboembolic events. Vasolan Tablets 40mg is beneficial in rate control.

This approval, together with Eisai's other related products including Tambocor(R) for the indication of tachyarrhythmia and Warfarin(R) as an anticoagulant, will enable Eisai to make further contributions to patients by offering treatment options for managing atrial fibrillation.

For more information, please see http://www.eisai.co.jp/enews/enews200810.html

About Eisai Co., Ltd.

Eisai Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4523; ADR: ESALY) is a research-based human health care company that discovers, develops and markets products in more than 30 countries. Through a global network of research facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, Eisai actively participates in all aspects of the worldwide health care system. Eisai employs more than 8,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.eisai.co.jp.

Source: Eisai Co., Ltd.

Contact:

Corporate Communications Department 
Eisai Co., Ltd. 
+81-3-3817-5120

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