TOKYO, Nov 15, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Japan Ltd announced today that a TV commercial will be broadcast nationwide in Japan from November 15 with the aim of increasing public understanding of MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment).

MCI refers to the stage between "normal brain function" and "dementia," where the individual can still lead an independent daily life but cognitive functions of the brain, such as memory and judgment, have somewhat declined. If cognitive function further declines from the MCI stage to a state where it disrupts daily life and care becomes necessary, it is then diagnosed as dementia.

In 2022, there were 5.58 million people living with MCI in Japan, accounting for 15.5% of those aged 65 and over, and estimated to reach 6.12 million by 2040. 1 While MCI is often referred to as a precursor to dementia, it doesn’t necessarily progress to dementia. Depending on the cause, the condition may be maintained, or even improved. If you are concerned about forgetfulness, early consultation with a specialist is important for the early detection of MCI and clarification of its cause, through which appropriate measures can be taken to prevent the progression from MCI to dementia.  

This TV commercial tells the story of a mother whose daughter worries for her, always telling her "You just said that earlier". The mother realizes that the forgetfulness she attributed to old age might in fact be due to MCI, leading her to seek medical advice.

A survey2 conducted by Eisai showed that awareness of the term "MCI" was 12%, while understanding of it was only 2%, which is still low. Through this TV commercial, Eisai and Biogen Japan hope to increase awareness of MCI among a broader range of people, thereby raising public interest in cognitive impairment and contributing to the early detection and treatment of MCI.

(1) Research on the Prevalence and Future Projections of Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment, 2023 Elderly Health  Promotion Project Grant, Professor Toshiharu Ninomiya, Kyushu University
(2) Internet survey
Target: Japan nationwide, men and women aged 60-70, 2000 responses
Survey period: February 2024
Survey conducted by: Macromill Carenet, Inc.   

About the TV Commercial

Title: MCI Disease Awareness TV Commercial "Don't Miss it, MCI" Edition (15 seconds/30 seconds)
TV Broadcast Start: November 15, 2024
Broadcasting Area: Japan nationwide
Main CM Video: Published on YouTube from November 15
(https://youtube.com/@patients_eisai?si=vLaA-y07QAlORHLa)

About Eisai

Eisai'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 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, Oncology and Global Health.

Theoria technologies Co., Ltd., a member of the Eisai Group, operates the dementia portal site "Theotol" (https://theotol.soudan-e65.com/), which provides easy-to-understand contents and services for the general public about MCI and various types of dementia, their causes, treatments, as well as caregiving methods and personal experiences. (Japanese only)

About Biogen Japan

Founded in 1978, Biogen is a leading biotechnology company that pioneers innovative science to deliver new medicines to transform patients’ lives and to create value for shareholders and our communities. We apply deep understanding of human biology and leverage different modalities to advance first-in-class treatments or therapies that deliver superior outcomes. Our approach is to take bold risks, balanced with return on investment to deliver long-term growth.

We routinely post information on Biogen Japan that may be important to investors on our website at https://www.biogen.com/ and social media X, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube

MEDIA CONTACTS
Eisai Co., Ltd.
Public Relations Department
TEL：+81 (0)3-3817-5120

Biogen Japan, Ltd.
Corporate Affairs
TEL：＋81-70-1501-4315
E-mail: Japan-PA@biogen.com

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