Japanese firm Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC) has launched REMLEAS (Generic name: valbenazine, the vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 inhibitor) for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia in Thailand. REMLEAS was launched in Singapore in January 2023 and in Indonesia in May 2023.

As the first drug approved in Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia, REMLEAS would provide a new treatment option for patients with tardive dyskinesia in these countries. In these three countries, the marketing subsidiaries of MTPC, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Singapore Pte. Ltd., and PT Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Indonesia are the marketing authorisation holders, marketing valbenazine under the product name REMLEAS.

Tardive dyskinesia is a neurologic disorder characterised by involuntary movements, including uncontrollable, abnormal and repetitive movements of the tongue, lips, jaw, face, extremities, and torso. It may cause difficulty in activities of daily living and, in severe cases, dysphagia or respiratory distress. Tardive dyskinesia arises from the long-term administration of antipsychotic drugs or other drugs. Increased sensitivity of dopamine receptors is considered to be a causal factor.

MTPC obtained the regulatory approval of REMLEAS in March 2022 in Japan and launched in June the same year.