Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo has reported a remarkable fiscal year 2023, with revenues increasing by 25.3% to \u00a51.602 trillion (USD 10.05 billion) for the 12-month period ended March 31, 2024. The growth was primarily driven by the success of its HER2-targeted antibody drug conjugate (ADC) Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) and the blood thinner Lixiana (edoxaban). The weakening of the Japanese yen also contributed significantly, adding approximately \u00a566.8 billion (USD 420 million) to the company’s revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enhertu, co-promoted globally with UK-based AstraZeneca, saw sales climb to \u00a5395.9 billion (USD 2.48 billion), a year-on-year increase of \u00a5188.4 billion. When milestone payments from AstraZeneca are included, Daiichi\u2019s revenues from Enhertu reached \u00a5449.2 billion (USD 2.82 billion). A recent milestone for Enhertu includes its approval by the US FDA in April 2024 as the first HER2-positive tumor agnostic drug, marking a significant expansion in its potential use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lixiana contributed \u00a5287.7 billion (USD 1.84 billion) to the company’s revenue, an increase of \u00a543.8 billion from the previous year. Other positive developments include the approvals of Vanflyta (quizartinib) in the US, Japan, and Europe for the treatment of FLT3-ITD-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In October 2023, Daiichi formed a potential USD 22 billion ADC-focused partnership with Merck, Sharp & Dohme Inc. (MSD), to co-develop three molecules: the HER3-targeted fatritumab deruxtecan, the B7-H3-directed ifinatamab deruxtecan for small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and the CDH6-directed raludotatug deruxtecan for ovarian cancer. This partnership is expected to accelerate the development of all three molecules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daiichi has filed a Biologics License Application (BLA) with the US FDA for patritumab deruxtecan for patients with previously treated locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which was granted priority review status by the FDA in December 2023. Additionally, the TROP-2 targeted datopotamab deruxtecan, co-developed with AstraZeneca, was filed for US approval in February 2024 for the treatment of second-line locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n