Chong Kun Dang said Monday that it has signed an agreement with Eisai Korea to co-market Aricept and Aricept Evess, Eisai’s dementia treatments.

Under the accord, Chong Kun Dang will be in charge of sales and marketing to local clinics, while Eisai Korea will be responsible for sales and marketing to general hospitals.

Aricept (Ingredient: Donepezil hydrochloride) has proven its safety and cognitive function improvement in patients with Alzheimer's disease through long-term clinical studies. It is available in a wide range of doses for all stages of Alzheimer's disease, from mild to severe.

Aricept Evess is an orally dissolving tablet (ODT) form of Aricept and has improved the convenience of patients who have difficulty swallowing drugs.

The drug is the most sold medication in the domestic dementia treatment market despite its competitor releasing more than 70 generic drugs in the market since its patent expiry in 2008. The annual prescription amount for the two products is approximately 71.2 billion won ($66.1 million).

“Aricept is the No. 1 drug in the domestic and overseas dementia treatment market based on its superior drug efficacy and safety,” Chong Kun Dang CEO Kim Young-joo said. “We will concentrate on sales and marketing strategies for the continued growth of Aricept in the growing domestic dementia market.”

Eisai Korea also expressed expectations of the cooperative ties.

“Through this sales collaboration, we hope to increase the accessibility of Aricept, awareness on dementia and help more patients to receive treatment promptly,” Eisai Korea CEO Ko Hong-byung said.