May 19, 2021

Ono and Seikagaku Announce the Launch of JOYCLU® 30mg Intra-articular Injection,a Joint Function Improvement Agent, in Japan
Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan; President and Representative Director: Gyo Sagara;“Ono”) and Seikagaku Corporation (Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Ken Mizutani; “Seikagaku”)
announced today that Ono has launched JOYCLU® 30mg Intra-articular Injection (generic name:diclofenac etalhyaluronate sodium; “JOYCLU”), a joint function improvement agent, for which Seikagaku
received the manufacturing and marketing approval in Japan in March 2021.
JOYCLU is a formulation in which hyaluronic acid and diclofenac (an anti-inflammatory drug) arechemically bound using Seikagaku’s own proprietary technology. It is designed to release diclofenac byhydrolysis in the joint. JOYCLU is approved for the treatment of osteoarthritis (knee joint and hip joint) andexpected to improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis by the intra-articular injection once every four weeks.
Further, since JOYCLU is administered directly into the joint cavity as an injection, systemic exposure todiclofenac is low, and the risk of systemic adverse drug reaction is considered to be low.
JOYCLU is the first ethical drug having the indication of osteoarthritis of the hip joint in Japan among
the joint function improvement agents.
Ono and Seikagaku aim to contribute to the improvement of quality of life (QOL) in patients by providing
a new treatment option for osteoarthritis (knee joint and hip joint).
Overview of JOYCLU
Product name

JOYCLU® 30mg Intra-articular Injection

Generic namediclofenac etalhyaluronate sodiumIndication

Osteoarthritis (knee joint and hip joint)

Dosage and administration

The usual adult dosage is 1 syringe per dose (30 mg of diclofenac
etalhyaluronate sodium) injected intra-articularly every 4 weeks.

Date of manufacturing andmarketing approval

March 23,2021

NHI price listing date

May 19, 2021

NHI drug price¥4,394 (30mg/3mL syringe)

Manufacturing and marketing
authorization holder
Distributor

Seikagaku Corporation
Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

1

Product photograph

About Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a disease caused by articular cartilage damage, leading to inflammation and pain, whichresults in deterioration of QOL. Osteoarthritis of the knee is caused by factors such as aging, andosteoarthritis of the hip is caused by congenital and other factors. The number of symptomatic patients withknee osteoarthritis in Japan is estimated to be about 7.8 million. The disease is particularly common in
women and is reported to affect approximately 70% of women in their 70s.*1 Also, based on X-ray diagnosis,
the prevalence rate of osteoarthritis of the hip is reported to be in the range of 1.0 - 4.3% of the population,
0.0 - 2.0% in men and 2.0 - 7.5% in women.*2*1: Yoshimura N et al., J Bone Miner Metab, 2009;27:620-8*2: Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip (2016). 2nd Edition.
Tokyo: Nankodo Co., Ltd.; 2016: 10-13.

Contact
Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Seikagaku Corporation

Corporate Communications

Corporate Communications, Corporate Staff

public_relations@ono.co.jp

ir@seikagaku.co.jp

2