Corium, LLC, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel neuroscience therapies, and Lotus Pharmaceutical, a multinational pharmaceutical company, entered into an exclusive collaboration and license agreement for Adlarity (donepezil transdermal system), an innovative Alzheimer’s dementia treatment, in ten markets across Asia.

Adlarity is FDA-approved in the U.S. as the first and only once-weekly patch for the treatment of mild, moderate, and severe dementia of Alzheimer’s. The transdermal system offers continuous and sustained release of donepezil through the skin using Corplex technology, and it bypasses the gastrointestinal tract, enabling a favorable overall gastrointestinal side effect profile. Donepezil, the active ingredient in the oral medication Aricept, is the leading symptomatic treatment globally for Alzheimer’s dementia within the acetylcholinesterase class of therapies. The companies expect to file for regulatory approval in some Asian markets later this year.

Lotus will have exclusive rights to commercialize Adlarity in the applicable territory and will be responsible for the regulatory approval process. The territory includes Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Corium is responsible for supplying finished product to Lotus and will receive an upfront payment as well as regulatory and performance-based milestones based on sales.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with the team at Lotus, who share our excitement about Adlarity as a novel way to deliver donepezil,” said Perry Sternberg, President & CEO of Corium. “This partnership represents an important milestone for Corium in establishing Adlarity as a global brand and helps further our mission to create and deliver novel therapies that provide clinicians with important treatment options for patients, their families, and their caregivers.”

Petar Vazharov, CEO of Lotus said, “Today’s announcement highlights our drive and focus on innovation to address unmet medical needs across Asia and validates our strong pipeline of opportunities. With Adlarity, we aim to provide a differentiated level of care that can significantly improve the lives of Alzheimer’s patients in our markets. This product is a strategic fit to our portfolio, affirming our strong capability and presence in CNS.”