Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory concluded the share transfer agreement with Neuroceuticals to acquire all the shares of Neuroceuticals Okinawa

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc. (Head Office: Naruto, Tokushima, Japan; President and Representative Director: Shuichi Takagi; "Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory") announces that the company concluded the share transfer agreement with Neuroceuticals, Inc. (Head Office: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President and Representative Director: Shinya Miike; "NCI") to acquire all the shares of Neuroceuticals Okinawa, Inc. (Head Office: Uruma, Okinawa, Japan; President and Representative Director: Akiyuki Takaya; "NCIO"), an affiliate company of NCI, on December 21, 2023. NCIO will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory after the stock transfer on January 31, 2024 (planned).

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory has been engaged in the development of advanced medical devices in cooperation with NCI, a medical device venture support company, since 2019, and in October 2023, it launched "Tumguide^® LED Light Source" (a general medical device [general-purpose light source]) and "Tumguide^® Fiber" (a general medical device [gastroesophageal sterile tube and catheter for temporary use]) that configure "Tumguide^®" (a medical device for checking the position of the nasogastric tube tip). Currently, NCI is the marketing authorization holder of "Tumguide^® LED Light Source" and "Tumguide^® Fiber." However, intellectual properties and other assets related to Tumguide will be transferred from NCI to NCIO following the stock transfer, and NCIO, which has been the manufacturer of Tumguide, will be the marketing authorization holder. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory has acquired one-hundred percent ownership of NCIO and will establish a system to respond more smoothly to the requests of patients and healthcare professionals, such as further strengthening the business structure and promoting the development of new products, by consistently performing the process from production to distribution within the Otsuka Group.

As a company with strengths in the field of clinical nutrition, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory has been providing various products (such as IV solutions and enteral nutrition products) and useful information on appropriate nutritional management. We aim to be the best partner of patients and healthcare professionals in the field of clinical nutrition by continuing to provide these products and information as well as developing innovative products that contribute to resolving problems in clinical practice.

Based on the corporate philosophy of "Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide", the Otsuka Group is dedicated to contributing to the health of people around the world.

Tumguide:

Tumguide is a medical device that allows you to visually check the tip position during nasogastric tube insertion by observing the Biological Transparent Illumination* emitted from the optical fiber tip inserted into the nasogastric tube (feeding tube) from outside the body. The medical device enables to visually check the position of the tube tip from outside the body while connecting a light source device to an optical fiber inserted into the feeding tube and inserting the tube into the stomach through the esophagus with the tube tip lighted. It is expected to contribute to alleviating the physical burden on patients (e.g., reduction of medical accidents caused by incorrect insertion into the lung and avoidance of radiation exposure) and reducing the workload of healthcare professionals.

*A light in the wavelength range which transmits through soft tissues, but not for hard tissues such as bones and cartilages.