Targretin® (Bexarotene) receives Marketing Authorisation in Hong Kongfor Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
July 16, 2024

Minophagen Pharmaceutical (Headquarters: Tokyo; CEO & President: Tokuichiro Utsunomiya,Ph.D.) (hereinafter referred to as “Minophagen”) today announced that its partner, Main Life Corp.,
Ltd (Headquarters: Hong Kong SAR, China; General Manager: JiTi Wang) (hereinafter referred toas “Main Life”) obtained the marketing authorisation of Targretin® (bexarotene) capsules in HongKong. The approval is given by the Department of Health of Hong Kong for the treatment of
cutaneous manifestations of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in patients who are refractory toat least one prior systemic therapy.
The availability of Targretin® provides patients living with CTCL in Hong Kong with the option of
a drug considered standard-of-care in international clinical practice. The approval is the second
marketing approval in China following import license approval from Macau earlier this year, and isalso the second approval to be received in Asia (excluding Japan).
Targretin® was first approved by USFDA in 1999 and is currently available in 36 countries orregions 1 for the treatment of CTCL. It is recommended as a treatment option in major treatment
guidelines such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the European
Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) guidelines.
Targretin® is an antineoplastic agent that contains a type of retinoid called bexarotene as anactive substance. It is thought that bexarotene selectively binds to retinoid X receptor (RXR) andsuppresses tumor growth by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.
CTCL is a type of primary cutaneous lymphoma characterized by proliferation and manifestationsof T-cells in the skin. This type of lymphoma may reoccur on the same site or spread to otherparts of the body, progressing slowly over anywhere between a few years to a few decades, andrarely leading to poor prognosis. Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are known to be the twomost common subtypes of CTCL.
Based on license agreements concluded with Eisai Co., Ltd. in March 2011 and April 2012,
Minophagen has exclusive rights to develop and commercialise Targretin® in Japan, Asia, Oceania,
the Middle East, and Eastern Europe etc. In Japan, Minophagen obtained approval for the indicationof cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in January 2016, and launched sales in June the same year. Inmainland China, Minophagen has obtained an Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from theNational Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in order to start clinical trials.
Main Life had applied for marketing approval in Hong Kong and Macau, pursuant to an exclusive
agreement between Minophagen and Main Life to grant Main Life exclusive development andcommercialisation rights in the territory.
Minophagen will continue to support quality of life of patients in Asia by offering Targretin as a
new treatment option for this rare disease.
About Main Life
General Manager: JiTi Wang
Head Office: Hong Kong SAR, China
Founded in Hong Kong in 1971, Main Life is a pharmaceutical distributor with rich experience ofmarketing Japanese pharmaceutical products in China. In Hong Kong and Macau, its marketing
capabilities cover all channels including government and private hospitals, clinics and pharmacies.
For more information, visit www.mainlife.com.hk*1 as of December, 2022

Media InquiriesAdministration Division, Minophagen Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.
+81-(0)3-5909-2323