Teikoku Seiyaku Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kagawa, Japan; President & CEO: Misako Fujioka; hereinafter “Teikoku Seiyaku”) announces that Teikoku Seiyaku and Curedisc Corporation (Headquarters: Yamanashi, Japan; Representative Director: Tetsuya Akagi; hereinafter “Curedisc”) have entered into a license agreement (hereinafter “this Agreement”) regarding the exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and market KTP-001 (Recombinant Human Matrix Metalloproteinase-7), a candidate drug for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (hereinafter “the drug”) in Japan, for which Curedisc has provided development support.

The drug is a protein preparation containing Recombinant Human Matrix Metalloproteinase-7 (rhMMP-7) as its active ingredient, designed to induce the spontaneous regression of lumbar disc herniation. Among the MMPs, which possess the ability to degrade a wide range of substrates, MMP-7 selectively degrades certain proteoglycans with substrate specificity. Previous studies have suggested that it promotes the regression of a nucleus pulposus that has herniated by degrading the extracellular matrix of the nucleus pulposus, thereby improving pain and numbness extending from the lower back to the lower limbs, as well as muscle weakness in the lower limbs, other neurological symptoms, and mobility issues, in patients with lumbar disc herniation 1)-4).

Under this Agreement, Teikoku Seiyaku will proceed with the domestic development of the drug and submit an application for manufacturing and marketing approval in Japan. Upon obtaining approval, Teikoku Seiyaku will market the drug exclusively.

Teikoku Seiyaku and Curedisc hope to contribute to the well-being of more patients by providing a new treatment option for lumbar disc herniation.

Founded in 1848, Teikoku Seiyaku is dedicated to its mission “For a World Without Pain”, leveraging its expertise in transdermal absorption technology. Teikoku Seiyaku develops, manufactures, and markets anti-inflammatory and analgesic patches, narcotic drugs for medical use, and other pharmaceutical products.

In the orthopedics field, where its anti-inflammatory and analgesic patches are used, Teikoku Seiyaku also holds exclusive marketing rights in Japan for a subcutaneous injection containing sodium pentosan polysulfate as the active ingredient (currently under development by Reqmed Co., Ltd.), intended for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, and for allogeneic human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hUCB-MSC), classified as a regenerative medicine product (currently being prepared for an application for approval by Medipost K.K.), marketed in the Republic of Korea under the brand name CARTISTEM®.

Going forward, in orthopedics, one of its priority areas, Teikoku Seiyaku will further strengthen its efforts to deliver treatments for osteoarthritis and other diseases with high unmet medical needs to patients.　A large-scale expansion of the orthopedic team will be implemented with increased personnel.

Curedisc was established in December 2020 as a venture company supporting the development of KTP-001, a novel therapeutic agent for lumbar disc herniation based on the research results of Professor Hirotaka Haro, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Yamanashi. To realize Professor Haro’s aspiration to relieve patients from the severe pain of lumbar disc herniation by treating them from the early stages of the condition and to spare them from intense pain and difficulties in performing daily activities, we at Curedisc have provided support toward the commercialization of KTP-001. Moving forward, we will continue development in Japan in collaboration with Teikoku Seiyaku.

1) KOMORI H., et al. Spine, 1996 Jan; 21(2): 225-229
2) HARO H., et al. J Clin Investig. 2000 Jan; 105(2):133-141
3) HARO H., et al. J Clin Investig. 2000 Jan; 105(2):143-150
4) HARO H., et al. Journal of Orthopaedic Science, 2025 Nov; 30: 981-991

For further information, please contact the following department:
Teikoku Seiyaku Co., Ltd., General Affairs Department
TEL：+81-879-25-2221

---