28 January 2019 - - US-based Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc. has entered into an agreement with Irish pharmaceutical company Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN) to co-promote Allergan's Bystolic (nebivolol), a beta blocker approved for the treatment of hypertension to lower blood pressure, in the United States, the company said.

Kowa's nationwide sales force will co-promote Bystolic to cardiologists and select primary care healthcare providers across the country along with the company's cholesterol-lowering drug Livalo (pitavastatin) tablets.

Under the terms of the co-promotion agreement, Kowa will deploy its approximately 300 cardiometabolic sales specialists to promote Bystolic to cardiologists and select primary care healthcare providers, starting in February.

Allergan will continue to promote Bystolic to primary care healthcare providers.

The financial terms of this non-exclusive co-promotion agreement were not disclosed.

High cholesterol is defined as total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL based on guidelines from the National Institutes of Health.

When cholesterol levels rise, thick, hard buildup can occur in the artery wall, narrowing arteries and slowing down or even blocking blood flow to the heart and brain.

High cholesterol is a major risk for stroke and heart disease, the leading causes of death in the United States.

It can be lowered through a healthy diet, exercise, and by taking a medication (like a statin) as recommended by a physician.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hypertension has been called the "silent killer" because it often has no warning signs or symptoms and has been associated with serious cardiovascular risks, such as stroke and myocardial infarction.

Hypertension represents a significant public health issue with high prevalence in the United States.

According to the National Institute for Health Statistics, approximately 30% of adults in the US have hypertension.

Inadequate control of hypertension is a significant public health problem, with approximately half of all patients still not achieving target goals.

Numerous antihypertensive drugs, from a variety of pharmacologic classes and with different mechanisms of action, have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce CV morbidity and mortality, and it can be concluded that it is blood pressure reduction that is largely responsible for those benefits. 

In addition, approximately two-thirds of hypertensive patients will require more than one drug to achieve blood pressure goals.

Kowa company, Ltd. is a privately held, multinational company headquartered in Nagoya, Japan.

Established in 1894, Kowa is actively engaged in various business fields including the trading of textiles, machinery, and construction materials, in addition to the manufacturing and sales of medicines, medical equipment, and energy saving products.

Kowa's pharmaceutical division is focused on research and development for cardiovascular therapeutics (dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis), ophthalmology and anti-inflammatory agents.

The company's flagship product, Livalo (pitavastatin), is approved in 46 countries around the world.

Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, is focused primarily in the area of cardiometabolic diseases.

Established in September 2008, Kowa Pharmaceuticals America focuses its efforts on the successful commercialisation of its current and near-term portfolio of pharmaceutical products, and business development activities.