Ono Enters into Agreement with Seikagaku for Joint Development and Marketing of Gel-One
Friday, August 08, 2025
Ono Pharmaceutical and Seikagaku have finalised an agreement to jointly develop and market Gel-One, a treatment for osteoarthritis, in Japan.
Gel-One is an intra-articular injection containing cross-linked hyaluronate, developed using Seikagaku’s proprietary technology. Designed to remain in the joint for an extended period, a single injection is expected to offer long-term pain relief. The product has been available internationally since 2012, marketed as Gel-One® in the United States and HyLink® in Taiwan and Italy for knee osteoarthritis. In Japan, development includes studies for both knee and hip osteoarthritis to widen its potential use.
This follows a basic agreement between the two companies announced in April 2025.
Under the deal, Ono will hold co-development and exclusive marketing rights for Gel-One in the Japanese market. Seikagaku will receive tiered royalties over several years, linked to the progress of the product’s development and sales.
Three Phase III clinical trials are currently in progress in Japan one for osteoarthritis of the knee, one for the hip, and a long-term safety study for both joints. The companies aim to complete these studies quickly to seek manufacturing and marketing approval at the earliest opportunity.
Source: ono-pharma.com
