News

KYORIN Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarter: Tokyo, President: Ikuo Ogihara), a subsidiary of KYORIN Co., Ltd., launched today a leukotriene receptor antagonist / bronchial asthma treatment drug of "Kipres® Oral Granules 4mg" (INN: montelukast sodium).

This compound was discovered by Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A as the long-term control drug for bronchial asthma, and KYORIN Pharmaceutical has been marketing the same as "Kipres® Tablets 10" for adults and "Kipres® Chewable Tablets 5" for children aged 6 years and older and contributing to the asthma care since August 2001. We believe that the wide range of the product lineup can more meet the market needs.

In recent years, the morbidity rate of pediatric asthma has been increasing, and it is said that about 90% of pediatric asthma starts by 5 years of age under the trend that the age of onset is lowering. In addition, in the drug treatment of infant asthma, the drugs not only having wider safety window as well as efficacy, but also designed for drug-compliance are desired.

"Kipres® Oral Granules 4mg" is for patients aged 1 year and older but under 6 years, whom the incidence of bronchial asthma concentrates on, and the domestic clinical trials with this formulation demonstrated the decrease in number of minor attacks in the infant asthma and high tolerability by patients taking orally one pack each once daily before bedtime. This formulation can be taken without water since it is easily dissolvable in the mouth without tasting bitter.