Kyowa Kirin Announces a New Sustainable Business Strategy for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) Region

• Kyowa Kirin will optimize Asia-Pacific (APAC) operations and maximize the value of the company’s Global and Established Brands for patients in APAC.
• Kyowa Kirin has agreed to enter into strategic partnerships with DKSH Holding and Hong Kong WinHealth Pharma Group Co. Limited.
• Kyowa Kirin will focus in-house resources on Global 2 Brands (G2B), CRYSViTA^® and POTELIGEO^®, and their rare diseases pipeline in South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia markets.

SINGAPORE, July 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Kyowa Kirin Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (Kyowa Kirin, TSE:4151, President and CEO: Masashi Miyamoto), announced plans to transform its Asia-Pacific (APAC) business for more sustainable and profitable operations, through strategic partnerships with DKSH Holding Ltd. (“DKSH”) and Hong Kong Winhealth Pharma Group (“Winhealth”).

Kyowa Kirin will also focus in-house resources on its future-growth core disease areas of bone and mineral, intractable hematological diseases/ hemato-oncology, and rare diseases by forming its APAC Cluster covering South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia markets.

These moves underscore Kyowa Kirin’s Vision 2030 goals of delivering life-changing value to patients in APAC by ensuring continued access to a portfolio of 11 brands across four therapeutic areas such as NESP^® for renal anemia and ROMIPLATE^® for platelet production.

Under the terms of the agreement with DKSH, Kyowa Kirin has entered into a promotion and distribution agreement with DKSH for commercial rights to Kyowa Kirin’s established medicines portfolio including seven brands in Hong Kong / Macau, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand markets. Additionally, Kyowa Kirin has also signed a promotion and distribution agreement with DKSH for commercial rights to Kyowa Kirin’s global products: CRYSViTA^® in the Hong Kong / Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand markets, as well as POTELIGEO^® in Singapore.

Under the terms of the agreement with WinHealth, Kyowa Kirin China Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., including its five established brands in China, will be transferred to a special-purpose company that will inherit them under Winhealth at a transfer price of up to RMB 720 million (approximately JPY 15.0 billion). Additionally, Kyowa Kirin has entered into a promotion and distribution agreement with WinHealth for commercial rights to Kyowa Kirin’s global products (CRYSViTA^® and POTELIGEO^®).

Abdul Mullick, Ph.D., Chief International Business Officer (CIBO) of Kyowa Kirin said, “Guided by our ‘Story for Vision 2030’, we have developed a strategy to continue delivering life-changing value and shape the future of Kyowa Kirin. We have defined our focus disease areas and identified opportunities to maximize the value of our products through in-house efforts and strategic partnerships. Recognizing the increasing challenges in the APAC region, we have made the difficult decision to restructure our APAC business, to ensure continued access to our medicines for patients, securing the future for as many of our employees as possible and ensuring sustainability. This transformation will enhance our efficiency and agility, empowering our team to make a great impact on patient lives and make people smile.”

About Kyowa Kirin

Kyowa Kirin aims to discover novel medicines with life-changing value. As a Japan-based Global Specialty Pharmaceutical Company, we have invested in drug discovery and biotechnology innovation for more than 70 years and are currently working to engineer the next generation of antibodies and cell and gene therapies with the potential to help patients affected by a severe or rare disease. A shared commitment to our values, to sustainable growth, and to making people smile unites us across our four regions – Japan, Asia Pacific, North America, and EMEA/International. You can learn more about the business of Kyowa Kirin at www.kyowakirin.com.

About DKSH Holding

DKSH’s purpose is to enrich people’s lives. For almost 160 years, DKSH has been delivering growth for companies in Asia and beyond across its Business Units Healthcare, Consumer Goods, Performance Materials, and Technology. As a leading Market Expansion Services provider, DKSH offers sourcing, market insights, marketing and sales, eCommerce, distribution and logistics as well as after-sales services. DKSH is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, DKSH operates in 36 markets with 29,040 specialists, generating net sales of CHF 11.1 billion in 2023. As a strategic healthcare business partner, DKSH Business Unit Healthcare distributes and commercializes pharmaceuticals, consumer health, and over-the-counter products as well as medical devices. With around 8,140 specialists, the Healthcare Business Unit generated net sales of CHF 5.6 billion in 2023. www.dksh.com/hec   

About Hong Kong Winhealth Pharma Group

Hong Kong Winhealth Pharma Group is a leading biopharmaceutical company based in Hong Kong, with commercial operations across the Greater China Area and an expanding regional footprint in Asia and Europe. Specializing in the commercialization of innovative medicines, the company is dedicated to delivering breakthrough therapies for patients with cardio-renal, gastrointestinal, respiratory and anti-infectious and rare diseases, as well as other unmet and severely underserved medical needs.

Winhealth has established successful long-term partnerships with numerous world-leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, creating a uniquely impactful and diversified portfolio that includes over 15 specialty products in both commercial and late clinical stages. Committed to patients and partners, Winhealth continuously expands its portfolio and seeks to bring more transformative therapies from its global network of partners.

For more information, please visit www.winhealth.hk.

Issued by Bridges M&C on behalf of Kyowa Kirin Asia Pacific.

SOURCE Kyowa Kirin