Taisho wins Japan rights to Glaxo's obesity drug

TOKYO, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Japanese drugmaker Taisho Pharmaceutical Co (4535.T) said on Tuesday it has won rights to develop and market GlaxoSmithKline PLC's (GSK.L) anti-obesity drug orlistat in Japan.

Taisho said it has not decided whether to market orlistat as a prescription drug or for sale over-the-counter.

Japan has an estimated 16 million overweight individuals, including 12.8 million who are obese, Taisho said.

Elsewhere, the drug is sold over-the-counter in the United States under the name alli and as a prescription drug called XENICAL in 149 other countries.

Taisho shares closed down 2.9 percent in Tokyo at 1,741 yen, underperforming the Topix subindex for the pharmaceutical sector .IPHAM.T, which fell 1.8 percent. (Reporting by Yumiko Nishitani)