TOKYO & BAKU, Sept 17, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - JCB International Co., Ltd., the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., Japan’s only international payment brand, and Azer Turk Bank OJSC, Azerbaijan state-owned bank with state participation in authorized capital, are delighted to announce the launch of JCB merchant acquiring operations across the Republic of Azerbaijan, allowing cardholders to make payments seamlessly across Azer Turk Bank’s extensive ATM and POS terminal network.Mr. Namid Abdulov, Director of Azer Turk Bank’s Processing Center, expressed his optimism about the future collaboration, emphasizing the positive impact it will have on the business landscape. “We look forward to exploring the opportunities that the JCB payment system brings, fostering a harmonious partnership that benefits everyone involved.”This collaboration holds great promise for Azer Turk Bank’s valued clients and partners. Mr. Abdulov believes that embracing the privileges, campaigns, and discounts offered by JCB’s payment system will not only enrich the customer experience, but also pave the way for mutually beneficial partnerships with our commercial and service partners.Mr. Obaid Bawany, General Manager of JCB International Co., Ltd. Dubai Representative Office, commented: “We are very pleased to be partnering with Azer Turk Bank, one of the largest and fastest- growing banks in Azerbaijan with stable and high business reputation. The number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan is growing rapidly as the republic has a rich ancient history and unique cuisine. The start of JCB Cards acceptance through Azer Turk Bank network will definitely provide more convenience for JCB cardmembers both in terms of points-of-sale and cash withdrawal”.JCB is the only international payment brand originated in Japan, one of the major international payment brands. With a rich history spanning over 60 years, JCB has over 158 million cardholders across various countries and territories while JCB Cards are accepted at about 49 million associated merchants.About Azer Turk BankAzer-Turk Bank is an Azerbaijani state-owned bank that provides retail and commercial banking services. It is an open joint stock company established in 1995, based on a license issued by the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan. For more detailed information about the bank's products and services, feel free to visit our website at https://atb.az or check out our official corporate pages on social networks. Alternatively, you can reach us through WhatsApp at (055) 7770 945 or contact our Call Center at the number 945.ContactsAzer Turk BankRauf AgayevPress SecretaryTel: +994 12 404 14 45Email: rauf.a@atb.azAbout JCBJCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 49 million merchants around the world. JCB Cards are issued mainly in Asian countries and territories, with more than 158 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase its merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/ ContactsJCBKosuke OchiaiCorporate CommunicationsTel: +81-3-5778-8353Email: jcb-pr@info.jcb.co.jp Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

Toyota City, Japan, Sept 17, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s winning run on home ground came to an end despite a valiant effort in a dramatic 6 Hours of Fuji, the penultimate round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).An intense team effort, committed driving and bold strategy put the GR010 HYBRIDs in the fight for victory despite their revised power and weight parameters at Fuji, but TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s run of six consecutive home wins ultimately ended in frustration.In front of 65,800 enthusiastic fans, a battling drive from Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa in their #8 GR010 HYBRID looked to have earned a podium until a late penalty dropped them down to 10th place.The #7 GR010 HYBRID of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries had led with two hours to go but were forced to retire due to accident damage. That effectively ends the World Championship challenge of Kamui and Nyck with one race remaining.The team found itself on the back foot from the opening stages. Either side of a lap-two safety car, Sébastien dropped from second to fourth while Mike also lost ground from fourth on the grid, and spent the first stint in fifth, behind the #8.Further position changes saw the second hour end with Mike still in fifth, but Sébastien now sixth, although those positions were swapped soon after when the #7 GR010 HYBRID suffered tyre degradation, causing it to pit earlier than planned. Nyck took over while Brendon replaced Sébastien soon after.Despite the tough start, the team’s fuel and tyre strategy started to pay off. After half distance, Nyck overtook the #15 BMW and the #50 Ferrari then overhauled the #6 Porsche in the pits to lead. The #8 also made progress and Brendon boldly passed two Ferraris before handing over to Ryo, who joined the podium fight.After almost four hours of intense competition, Kamui took over for two stints to hunt down the victory, with both cars now in a stronger strategic position in terms of fuel and tyres than their rivals. But a virtual safety car early in the fifth hour took away that advantage by giving all Hypercars the chance to pit and lose less time compared to doing so under racing conditions.A 90-minute sprint to the flag saw Ryo initially hold third before the #35 Alpine overtook. The #7 fared worse when Kamui and the #5 Porsche made contact in the battle for eighth. Damage to the rear suspension and bodywork could not be repaired in time, so the car was retired with an hour remaining.Ryo pushed hard to bring the #8 back onto the podium in the final hour, overtaking both JOTA Porsches and then moving into a comfortable third after a penalty for the #35 Alpine. But with 16 minutes to go, the #8 incurred its own drive-through penalty, for an incident with the leading #6 Porsche, and Ryo finished 10th, 58.879secs behind the winner.Despite the very frustrating result, the team is already focused on retaining its manufacturers’ title in a showdown in Bahrain on 2 November when the fight for the World Championship will be concluded. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is just 10 points behind leaders Porsche going into the eighth and final race of 2024.Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7):“It was a very tough race. The second safety car brought us into a difficult situation. After that I tried to fight with Porsche #5 for a couple of laps, but our lack of straight-line speed was clear, so he tried to overtake through the first three turns. On the inside of turn three we both committed to the corner in the same moment and could not avoid contact. Unfortunately, we then had another contact, and the damage was too heavy to repair. It definitely was not our day, and I feel sorry for our home fans who supported us so much. Hopefully we will come back strong for the last race in Bahrain.”Mike Conway (Driver, car #7):“It’s been a pretty rough day on both cars. Unfortunately for car #7 we had contact and the car was not repairable, so we didn’t score any points which is bad for our drivers’ championship, and as a team we didn’t score well for the manufacturers’ either. It’s obviously frustrating and not the result we wanted for our home fans and all the partners and Toyota colleagues who support us here. But there is one round to go and it’s a longer race, with more points available, so we will do our best to come back fighting.”Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7):“It is a tough pill to swallow for the whole team. It has been hard all weekend. We were aware that our race pace was not good enough to challenge at the front based on our speed alone and that we needed to execute the best possible race to score good points for both championships. We had a great strategy to do just that but unfortunately due to the race circumstances, we didn’t pull it off. That is a real pity.”Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8):“It was a bit of a disaster for us. We had a solid start, considering we were a bit slower than our rivals. I had no chance to race into turn one because the acceleration of the other cars was much better. But we came back into it, then got unlucky with the safety car. Without the drive-through penalty we would have finished on the podium which would have been an acceptable result. We’ll analyse everything, regroup and come back stronger in Bahrain.”Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8):“We had a pretty clean race. Séb did a great job looking after the tyres which gave us a real chance based on our strategy. We didn’t have the pace of our competitors, but we did our best. A big thanks to the team because everyone fought hard. It was an important race for us and in the end we came up short for many different reasons. But we will keep our heads up and fight back in Bahrain for the manufacturers’ championship. Huge thanks to everyone here in Japan who has supported us this week, the Toyota colleagues, partners and all the fans.”Ryo Hirakawa (Driver, car #8):“Obviously it is a really disappointing day. We wanted to have a good race in front of our fans and partners but it didn’t turn out that way. We tried everything and at one point it looked promising, but then things went against us. There is one race remaining and hopefully we can finish on a high by winning the championship; we are going to keep fighting. Thanks to the team for their hard work all week, and special thanks to our partners and fans for all the support.”6 Hours of Fuji – Result1st #6 Porsche Penske (Estre/Lotterer/Vanthoor) 213 laps2nd #15 BMW M Team WRT (Vanthoor/Marciello/Wittmann) +16.601secs3rd #36 Alpine Endurance Team (Lapierre/Schumacher/Vaxiviere) +42.321secs4th #93 Peugeot TotalEnergies (Jensen/Müller/Vergne) +45.846secs5th #12 Hertz Team JOTA (Stevens/Ilott/Nato) +49.689secs6th #38 Hertz Team JOTA (Button/Hanson/Rasmussen) +51.916secs10th #8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing +58.879secsDNF #7 TOYOTA GAZOO RacingAbout Toyota Toyota strives to be a strong corporate citizen, engaging with and earning the trust of its stakeholders, and to contribute to the creation of a prosperous society through all its business operations.Our corporate principles form the basis of our initiatives, reflect values that enable action, and drive our mindset.For the latest Toyota-related news and information:https://tinyurl.com/ToyotaPressReleasenewsroom@global.toyota Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

The largest exhibition in Japan for 663 companies/organizations!Exhibitor information is now available on the web!Pre-registration and admission ticket sales begin on September 3 (Tue.)October 16 (Wed.) to October 19 (Sat.), 2024,at the West Exhibition Hall, Tokyo Big Sight*Trade Days: October 16 (Wed.) to 18 (Fri.), Trade & Public Day: October 19 (Sat.)TOKYO, Sept 17, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (Chairman: Tomomi Nakamura, Chairman of SUBARU CORPORATION) and Tokyo Big Sight Inc. (President: Nobuhiro Maeda) are proud to announce the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2024, to be held over four days from October 16 (Wed.) to October 19 (Sat.), 2024, at Tokyo Big Sight (3-11-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo). The Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2024 will promote trade and information exchange in the aerospace industry, as well as promote the industry, public understanding, and interest among the younger generation through a wide range of exhibits that will include new fields such as AAM and decarbonization, in addition to the manufacture, operation, and MRO for aviation, space, and defense technology, as well as new areas such as AAM and decarbonization. This year, 663 companies/organizations (as of August 31) will exhibit.The main theme of this year's exhibition is "SOARING for DIVERSITY, over the GLOBAL-SKY, into SPACE". The environment surrounding the aerospace industry has changed drastically and is expanding in new ways. The main theme represents the future expansion and diversification of the aerospace industry and the desire to promote the aerospace industry together, and "SOARING for DIVERSITY, over the GLOBAL-SKY, into SPACE" is initialed "SDGS," symbolizing the establishment of a new exhibition on the SDGs, which the aerospace industry is now required to address.In addition, three sub-themes have been established to provide a clearer direction for JA2024. This year, JA2024 will expand beyond traditional exhibition areas to include new fields such as decarbonization (covering SAF, hydrogen, and electrification), advanced air mobility (featuring flying cars and drones), and space business (including small satellite applications and space exploration), which have been drawing increasing interest in recent years.The sub-themes1. SDGs in Aerospace Industries2. Transportation System for Emerging Sky3. Challenge to New Domain for Human Activities, Outer-Space & Cyber-SpacePre-registration and admission ticket sales beginPre-registration for the three days of Trade Days, October 16 (Wed.) through 18 (Fri.), began on September 3 (Tue.) on the official website. Visitors who pre-register by October 15 (Tue.) will receive free admission. Admission tickets for the October 19 (Sat.) Trade & Public Day (open to the public) are also now on sale.For more information, please visit the official website.> Pre-registration for admission: https://www.japanaerospace.jp/en/tradeDay.html> Admission ticket sales: https://www.japanaerospace.jp/en/publicDay.htmlJapan International Aerospace Exhibition 2024 OverviewExhibition: Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2024Period: October 16 (Wed.) to October 19 (Sat.), 2024October 16 (Wed.), 12:00pm - 5:00pm*Invited Guest Preview Hour from 10:00am to 12:00pmPress is also welcome to attend the Preview Hour (prior registration is required).October 17 (Thu.) to October 19 (Sat.), 10:00am - 5:00pmTrade Days: October 16 (Wed.) to October 18 (Fri.)Trade & Public Day: October 19 (Sat.)Venue: Tokyo Big Sight West Exhibition Hall (3-11-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo)*Approximately 7 minutes walk from Kokusai-Tenjijo Station on the Rinkai Line, or approximately 3 minutes walk from Tokyo Big Sight Station on the Yurikamome LineOrganizers: The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (SJAC), Tokyo Big Sight Inc.Exhibit Scale: 23 countries/regions, 663 companies/organizations (including co-exhibitors), 1,156 booths (as of August 31, 2024)Exhibitor List URL: https://www.japanaerospace.jp/en/exhibitor/ HP: https://www.japanaerospace.jp/en/index.html Target number of visitors: Above JA2016 (JA2016 actual 44,000 people)Admission:Trade Days: Registration before the period: Free of Charge; Registration during the period: 5,500 yen (Show student ID card: 2,200 yen)Trade & Public Day: Advance ticket: 1,200 yen; Same-day ticket: 1,500 yen (University students and below: Free* Student ID required)Major Exhibitors (as of August 31)From JapanFuji Industries Co., Ltd./IHI Corporation/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)/Japan Air Self Defense Force/Japan General Aviation Service Co.,Ltd/Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd./LSAS Tec Co., Ltd./Mitsubishi Electric Corporation/Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,Ltd./Mitsui Bussan Aerospace Co.,Ltd./Softbank Corp./SUBARU CORPORATIONFrom overseasAIRBUS SAS/BAE Systems plc/Brazilian Sugarcane Industry and Bioenergy Association (UNICA)/Boeing/KOREA AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES,LTD/Leonardo S.p.A./Pavilions from various countries (Canada, Czech, France, Italy, Malaysia, USA)Exhibit Subjects- AviationAirframe, airframe equipment, in-flight equipment / aircraft engines, engine-related equipment / operation, flight support, service, sales, logistics / aviation-related materials and parts / fuel and other consumables / manufacturing and processing / inspection and measurement / maintenance- SpaceSpace equipment / Space utilization and space-related services / Space-related materials and components / Fuel and other consumables / Manufacturing and processing / Inspection and measurement- AAM and decarbonizationAdvanced Air Mobility (AAM)/Decarbonization (SAF: Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Hydrogen, Electrification)- R&D and EntertainmentIT solutions, design and prototyping support / government agencies / research institutes / entertainmentVisitor Eligibility- General visitorsAll people interested in the aerospace industryAll people involved in the aerospace industry- Businesspersons in the aerospace and defense equipment manufacturing and operation fieldsAerospace, mechanical, electrical, electronic, precision equipment, components, and materialsAir transportation, aviation-related infrastructureMaintenance and repairInformation and telecommunicationsTrading companies and agenciesGovernment and municipal offices, public organizations, educational institutions- Businesspersons related to space businessSpace UtilizationSpace explorationSpace infrastructureSpace startups- Businesspersons in the field of decarbonization-related development/manufacturing/operationSAF development, production, supply, operationHydrogen development, manufacture, supply, operationBusiness people in the field of electrification development, manufacture, supply, operation- Businesspersons in AAM-related development/manufacturing/utilization fieldsDrone, eVTOL, flying vehicle development, manufacture, operationAAM-related infrastructure development, manufacture, operationTransportation, logistics, disaster management, surveying, photography, security, agricultureOrganizer's Project- Business MatchingThe business matching system from Advanced Business Events, which has a proven track record worldwide, offers effective opportunities for meetings with both domestic and international companies.Details: https://www.japanaerospace.jp/en/btob_meeting.html- Model ExhibitVisitors will be able to see up close and personal models of Japan's world-class space exploration technologies, including a full-scale model of the powerful Hayabusa2 and a 1/2 scale model of the Mars Microwave Explorer (MMX).Exhibited models (tentative)- Hayabusa2- H3 rocket- Mars Satellite Explorer (MMX)- Ground station antenna for BISASA deep space exploration- Presentations and Seminars by leading experts in the industryPresentations and Seminars will be held by invited speakers from major domestic and foreign companies and government agencies to provide the latest information on the aerospace industry, including future forecasts by leading experts in the industry.- Public Event on the Final DayOn the final day, Saturday the 19th, a variety of public events will be held to familiarize a wide range of visitors, including young people, with the aerospace industry and to promote interest in and understanding of the aerospace world and its future potential.*Details of exhibits/event details will be announced as soon as they are finalized.Media ContactJA2024 Public Relations Office (Kyodo PR): Anan, Matsunaga, ImamizuMail: ja2024-pr@kyodo-pr.co.jp If you wish to cover the exhibition, please complete the following form.https://forms.gle/po14renFK3cGje7Y6 Press release: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/JA2024_EN.pdf  Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

TOKYO and RAHWAY, N.J., Sept 17, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (known as MSDoutside of the United States and Canada) today announced results from the first interim analysis of the Phase 3 LEAP-012 trial evaluating LENVIMA® (lenvatinib), the orally available multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)discovered by Eisai, plus KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), the anti-PD-1 therapy from Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, in combination with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) compared to TACE alone for the treatment of patients with unresectable, non-metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These late-breaking data were presented for the first time on September 14 (Central European Summer Time) during a Presidential Symposium at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 (Presentation #LBA3).After a median follow-up of 25.6 months (range, 12.6-43.5), LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA in combination with TACE demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS),reducing the risk of disease progression or death by 34% (HR=0.66 [95% CI, 0.51-0.84]; p=0.0002) compared toTACE alone. Median PFS was 14.6 months (95% CI, 12.6-16.7) for the LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA-based regimen versus 10.0 months (95% CI, 8.1-12.2) for TACE alone. At this analysis, a trend toward improvement in overall survival (OS), the trial’s other primaryendpoint, was observed for the LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA- based regimen versus TACE alone (HR=0.80 [95% CI,0.57-1.11]; p=0.0867); the OS data are not mature and did not reach statistical significance at the time of this interim analysis. The trial is continuing, andfollow-up of OS is ongoing. The safety profile of the LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA- based regimen was consistent with that observed in previously reported studies evaluating the combination.“Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, highlighting the need for new treatment options,1,2” said Dr. Josep Llovet, Director of the Liver Cancer Program and Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “These findings from the LEAP-012 trial demonstrate the potential of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in combination with TACE to extend progression-free survival for patients diagnosed with unresectable, non-metastatic disease.”“Global incidence rates for hepatocellular carcinoma are expected to rise by more than 50 percent over the next two decades and there have been limited advances for patients with unresectable, non-metastatic forms of disease, 3” said Dr. Gregory Lubiniecki, Vice President, Global Clinical Development, MSD Research Laboratories. “These resultsreflect our commitment to exploring therapeutic options for these patients, including in earlier stages of disease. We’re encouraged by the potential for another treatment option for patients with unresectable non- metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma in addition to the existing monotherapy indications for KEYTRUDA and LENVIMA.”“Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been a standard of care option for patients with unresectable,non-metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma for many years; however, many patients experience disease progression within one year,4,5,6,7” said Dr. Corina Dutcus, Senior Vice President, Oncology Global Clinical Development Lead atEisai Inc. “Data from the Phase 3 LEAP-012 study demonstrate that the addition of LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA toTACE may help address the unmet need for therapies that can improve progression-free survival for people with thisdisease. We are grateful to the patients and investigators for their participation in this study.” Treatment was administered to 237 patients receiving the KEYTRUDA plus LENVIMA-based regimen and 241 patients receiving TACE alone. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 98.7%of patients receiving LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA in combination with TACE versus 84.6% of patients receiving TACEalone and led to the discontinuation of both study drugs in 8.4% versus 1.2% of patients, respectively. Serious adverse events were observed in 33.3% of patients receiving LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA in combination with TACE versus12.4% of patients receiving TACE alone. Grade 3 or 4 TRAEs occurred in 71.3% of patients receiving LENVIMA plusKEYTRUDA in combination with TACE versus 31.1% for TACE alone and TRAEs led to death in 1.7% (n=4) versus 0.4% (n=1) of patients, respectively.LENVIMA monotherapy is approved for the treatment of patients with unresectable HCC in more than 80 countries, including in Japan, the U.S., Europe and China.KEYTRUDA is approved as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with HCC secondary to hepatitis B who have received prior systemic therapy other than a PD-1/PD-L1- containing regimen in the U.S. and as amonotherapy for the treatment of patients with HCC who have been previously treated with sorafenib or oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy in China.LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA is approved in the U.S., the EU, Japan and other countries for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and certain types of advanced endometrial carcinoma. Lenvatinib is marketedas KISPLYX® for advanced RCC in the EU. Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA are studying the LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA combination through the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) clinical program in various tumor types, including but not limited to HCC, RCC, head and neck cancer, gastric cancer and esophageal cancer across multiple clinical trials.About LEAP-012LEAP-012 is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind Phase 3 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04246177) evaluating LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA in combination with TACE versus dual placebo plus TACE for the treatment of patients with unresectable, non-metastatic HCC. The primary endpoints are PFS as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1) following amaximum of five target lesions, and with a requirement that new intrahepatic lesions must meet LI-RADS 5 criteria, and OS. Secondary endpoints include objective response rate, duration of response, disease control rate, and time toprogression as assessed by BICR per RECIST v1.1 and Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(mRECIST), as well as PFS as assessed by BICR per mRECIST and safety. The study randomized 480 patients 1:1 to receive:LENVIMA (12 mg [for participants with screening body weight ≥60 kg] or 8 mg [for participants with screeningbody weight <60 kg] orally once a day) plus KEYTRUDA (400 mg intravenously [IV] every six weeks [Q6W]) incombination with TACE (conducted as a background procedure of chemotherapeutic and embolic agentsinjected via hepatic artery 2-4 weeks after start of study intervention, and after the first tumor assessment scanand≥1 month after the first TACE); or IV placebo administered Q6W plus oral placebo administered once a day in combination with TACE.All study drugs were continued until protocol-specified discontinuation criteria. KEYTRUDA was administeredfor up to two years (approximately 18 doses). After completing two years of combination therapy, LENVIMA may have been administered as a single agent until protocol-specified discontinuation criteria were met.About hepatocellular carcinomaLiver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide.1 In the U.S., the incidence rates of liver cancer have more than tripled since 1980, and death rates have doubled during that time. 8 Incidence rates are expected to continue to rise in various regions across the world until 2040, including in countries with advanced healthcare systems.3 It is estimated there were more than 865,000 new cases of liver cancer and more than 757,000deaths from the disease globally in 2022.1 In Japan, it is estimated there were over 41,000 new cases of liver cancerand almost 26,000 deaths from the disease in 2022.9 In the U.S., it is estimated there will be approximately 42,000 patients diagnosed with liver cancer and almost 30,000 patient deaths from the disease in 2024.10 The five-year relative survival rate for liver cancer in the U.S. is 22%, based on SEER data from 2013-2019.11 Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer, accounting for an estimated 90% of primary liver cancer cases.12About LENVIMA® (lenvatinib) CapsulesLENVIMA, discovered and developed by Eisai, is an orally available multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits the kinase activities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors VEGFR1 (FLT1), VEGFR2(KDR), and VEGFR3 (FLT4). LENVIMA inhibitsother kinases that have been implicated in pathogenic angiogenesis, tumor growth, and cancer progression in addition to their normal cellular functions, including fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors FGFR1-4, the platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα), KIT, and RET. In syngeneic mouse tumor models, LENVIMA decreased tumor-associated macrophages, increased activated cytotoxic T cells, and demonstrated greater antitumor activity incombination with an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody compared to either treatment alone. LENVIMA has been approved for the indications below.Thyroid cancer- Indication as monotherapy(Approved mainly in Japan, the United States, Europe, China and Asia) Japan: Unresectable thyroid cancerThe United States: The treatment of patients with locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive, radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC)Europe: The treatment of adult patients with progressive, locally advanced or metastatic, differentiated (papillary/follicular/Hürthle cell) thyroid carcinoma (DTC), refractory to radioactive iodine (RAI)Hepatocellular carcinoma- Indication as monotherapy(Approved mainly in Japan, the United States, Europe, China and Asia) Japan: Unresectable hepatocellular carcinomaThe United States: The first-line treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)Europe: The treatment of adult patients with advanced or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have received no prior systemic therapyThymic carcinoma- Indication as monotherapy (Approved in Japan) Japan: Unresectable thymic carcinomaRenal cell carcinoma (In Europe, the agent was launched under the brand name Kisplyx®)- Indication in combination with everolimus(Approved mainly in the United States, Europe and Asia)The United States: The treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following one prior anti-angiogenic therapyEurope: The treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma following one prior vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) targeted therapy- Indication in combination with KEYTRUDA (generic name: pembrolizumab) (Approved mainly in Japan, the United States, Europe and Asia)Japan: Radically unresectable or metastatic renal cell carcinomaThe United States: The first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma Europe: The first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinomaEndometrial carcinoma- Indication in combination with KEYTRUDA(Approved mainly in Japan, the United States, Europe and Asia)Japan: Unresectable, advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma that progressed after cancer chemotherapyThe United States: The treatment of patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma (EC) that is not microsatelliteinstability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy in any setting and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiationEurope: The treatment of adult patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma (EC) who have diseaseprogression on or following prior treatment with a platinum-containing therapy in any setting and are not candidates for curative surgeryAbout KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) Injection, 100mgKEYTRUDA is an anti-programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) therapy that works by increasing the ability of the body’s immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. KEYTRUDA is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby activating T lymphocytes which mayaffect both tumor cells and healthy cells.Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA has the industry’s largest immuno-oncology clinical research program.There are currently more than 1,600 trials studying KEYTRUDA across a wide variety of cancers and treatmentsettings. The KEYTRUDA clinical program seeks to understand the role of KEYTRUDA across cancers and the factors that may predict a patient's likelihood of benefitting from treatment with KEYTRUDA, including exploring several different biomarkers.About the Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA Strategic CollaborationIn March 2018, Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, through an affiliate, entered into a strategic collaboration for the worldwide co-development and co-commercialization of LENVIMA. Under the agreement, the companies jointly develop, manufacture and commercializeLENVIMA, both as monotherapy and in combination with KEYTRUDA, the anti-PD-1 therapy from Merck & Co., Inc.,Rahway, NJ, USA. Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA are studying the LENVIMA plus KEYTRUDA combination through the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) clinical program and are evaluating the combination in various tumor types across multiple clinical trials.Eisai’s Focus on CancerEisai acknowledges “Oncology” as one of its key strategic areas, and will continue to focus on the discovery and development of anti-cancer drugs within drug discovery domains including “microenvironment”, “proteostasis disruption”, “cell lineage and cell differentiation”, and “inflammation, hypoxia, oxidative stress and cell senescence” under the Deep Human Biology Learning (DHBL) drug discovery and development organization. Eisai aspires to discover innovative new drugs with new targets and mechanisms of action from these domains, with the aim of contributing to the cure of cancers.About EisaiEisai’s Corporate Concept is “to give first thought to patients and people in the daily living domain, and to increase the benefits that health care provides.” Under this Concept [also known as our human health care (hhc)Concept], we aim to effectively achieve social good in the form of relieving anxiety over health and reducing health disparities. With a global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to create and deliver innovative products to target diseases with high unmet medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of Neurology and Oncology.In addition, our continued commitment to the elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which is atarget (3.3) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is demonstrated by our work on various activities together with global partners.For more information about Eisai, please visit www.eisai.com (for global headquarters: Eisai. Co., Ltd.), us.eisai.com (for U.S. headquarters: Eisai, Inc.) or www.eisai.eu (for Europe, Middle East, Africa, Russia, Australia and New Zealand headquarters: Eisai Europe Ltd.), and connect with us on X (U.S. and global), LinkedIn (for global,U.S. and EMEA) and Facebook (global).Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA’s Focus on CancerEvery day, we follow the science as we work to discover innovations that can help patients, no matter what stage of cancer they have. As a leading oncology company, we are pursuing research where scientific opportunity and medical need converge, underpinned by our diverse pipeline of more than 25 novel mechanisms. With one of the largest clinical development programs across more than 30 tumor types, we strive to advance breakthrough science that will shape the future of oncology. By addressing barriers to clinical trial participation, screening and treatment, we work with urgency to reduce disparities and help ensure patients have access tohigh-quality cancer care. Our unwavering commitment is what will bring us closer to our goal of bringing life to more patients with cancer. For more information, visit https://www.merck.com/research/oncology.About Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USAAt Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world.For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us onX (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USAThis news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (the “company”) includes “forward-lookingstatements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline candidates that thecandidates will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. Ifunderlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of thecompany’s patents and other protections for innovation products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the yearended December 31, 2023 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).(1) International Agency for Research on Cancer. “Global cancer observatory. World” Cancer today. GLOBOCAN 2022. https://tinyurl.com/5n6skhtr.  Last accessed: September 2024.(2) Calderon-Martinez E et al. Prognostic Scores and Survival Rates by Etiology of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Review. J Clin Med Res. 2023;15(4):200-207. https://tinyurl.com/5k9b7v8m (3) Rumgay H et al. Global burden of primary liver cancer in 2020 and predictions to 2040. J Hepatol. 2022 Dec; 77(6): 1598–1606. https://tinyurl.com/22vam4k9 (4) Lencioni R, et al. EMERALD-1: A phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled study of transarterial chemoembolization combined with durvalumab with or without bevacizumab in participants with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma eligible for embolization. ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 2024. LBA 432. https://tinyurl.com/467bfeps (5) A phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of transarterial chemoembolization combined with durvalumab or durvalumab plusbevacizumab therapy in patients with locoregional hepatocellular carcinoma: EMERALD-1. ESMO 22nd World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer, 2020 Virtual - 1 - 4 July 2020. P-347. https://tinyurl.com/yc7tdjmk (6) Elshaarawy O, et al. Intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma: a summary review. J Hepatocell Carcinoma. 2019; 6: 105–117. https://tinyurl.com/msyvjk2a (7) Llovet JM et al. Locoregional therapies in the era of molecular and immune treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 May;18(5):293-313. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-020-00395-0.pdf.(8) American Cancer Society, “Key Statistics About Liver Cancer” https://tinyurl.com/545k8xzd.  Last accessed: September 2024.(9) International Agency for Research on Cancer. “Global cancer observatory. Japan.” Cancer today. GLOBOCAN 2022. https://tinyurl.com/4e9y8tur. Last accessed: September 2024.(10) American Cancer Society, “Cancer Facts & Figures 2024” https://tinyurl.com/5jpd4yuv. Last accessed: September 2024.(11) American Cancer Society, “5-year relative survival rates for liver cancer” https://tinyurl.com/56s6b6dr. Last accessed: September 2024.(12) Josep ML et al. Hepatocellular carcinoma. Nature Reviews. 2021 7:6. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41572-020-00240-3.pdf.Media contact:Eisai Co., Ltd. Public Relations:+81-(0)3-3817-5120Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA Media RelationsJulie Cunningham: +1-(617) 519-6264John Infanti: +1-(609) 500-4714 Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.