Chugai Wins the MHLW Minister’s Award at the Seventh Japan Medical Research and Development Grand Prize for the Discovery of an ALK-Positive Lung Cancer Treatment “Alecensa”

• Received Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award at the Seventh Japan Medical Research and Development Grand Prize for the discovery of Alecensa
• Second time for Chugai to receive this award following the Fourth award

TOKYO, January 17, 2025 -- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4519) announced today that it has received the Seventh Japan Medical Research and Development Grand Prize, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award, for its discovery of alectinib hydrochloride, a cancer drug with ALK^* -selective inhibitory activity.

*ALK: anaplastic lymphoma kinase

The purpose of the Japan Medical Research and Development Grand Prize is to deepen public interest and understanding and increase incentives for researchers, by praising achievements that greatly contributed to promotion of research and development in healthcare, towards medical development not only in Japan but also around the world. The awards have been given starting from fiscal year 2017, making this year the seventh time. Chugai received the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award in recognition of particularly significant contributions from the perspectives of improving and promoting social welfare, social security and public health for discovery of Alecensa^® (generic name: alectinib), our product widely used around the world as a treatment for ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This is the second time for the company to receive the award, following the Fourth award.

“We are greatly honored to receive the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award in the Japan Medical Research and Development Award for the discovery of Alecensa,” said Dr. Osamu Okuda, Chugai’s President and CEO. “We are proud as a Japanese company to have discovered a drug to treat a cancer gene mutation found by researchers in Japan, and that it has been used to help improve the health and well-being of patients around the world. Based on our unique science and technology capabilities, Chugai will continue to strive to become a company continuously generating innovations, which patients around the world expect that ‘Chugai will surely create new treatments.’”

Summary of awards

[Reference Information]
Chugai’s Hemlibra Wins the MHLW Minister’s Award at the Fourth Japan Medical Research and Development Grand Prize (Press release on December 25, 2020)
https://www.chugai-pharm.co.jp/english/news/detail/20201225113000_788.html

About Alecensa
Alecensa is a highly selective, central nervous system-active, oral ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) inhibitor created at Chugai. Alecensa is already approved in over 100 countries as an initial (first-line) and second-line treatment for ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC, including in the United States, Europe, Japan, China and Taiwan. ALK-positive lung cancer is said to account for approximately 3-5% of non-small cell lung cancers¹. In Japan, Alecensa has also been approved for the treatment of recurrent or refractory ALK fusion gene-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
Alecensa was approved in the U.S in April 2024 as an adjuvant treatment for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC, followed by approval in Europe in June, and approval in Japan in August the same year.

Trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.

Sources:

1. Biomarker Committee of the Japan Lung Cancer Society. Guidance for ALK Gene Testing in Lung Cancer Patients Version 4.0 (Japanese only)