Astellas Pharma Profile
Astellas Pharma, Inc. engages in the manufacture, marketing, and import/export of pharmaceuticals products in Japan. It primarily focuses on the development of products in the areas of urology, immunology and allergy, cardiovascular and diabetes, gastrointestinal and motor organs, infectious diseases, and central nervous system.
Products
The company’s products include Prograf, for the prevention and treatment of organ rejection after liver and kidney transplants; Protopic, for the treatment of atopic dermatitis; Adenoscan, a pharmacologic stress imaging agent; AmBisome, a systemic antifungal agent; Micafungin, an injectable antifungal agent; and Vaprisol, a trfeatment for euvolemic hyponatremia. Its products also include Lipitor, for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia; Gaster, for the treatment of peptic ulcers and gastritis; Harnal, for functional symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia; the hypnotic Myslee; Seroquel, an antipsychotic; Funguard, a candin antifungal agent; and Micardis, a long-acting angiotensin I receptor antagonist. In addition, the company markets Omnic/Omnic OCAS, for the treatment of the functional symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia; Vesicare, for overactive bladder disease and urinary incontinence; and Eligard, a treatment for advanced prostate cancer. It primarily operates in Japan, North America, Europe, and Asia. Astellas Pharma has collaborations with MerLion Pharmaceuticals Pte, Ltd. for the discovery of new drug candidates from natural substances; Theravance, Inc. for the development and commercialization of Theravance's investigational antibiotic, telavancin; and Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd. for developing and marketing a human anti-CD40 antagonistic monoclonal antibody worldwide.
Significant Events
Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd. and Astellas Pharma, Inc. have entered into a license and collaborative research and development agreement under which Kirin and Astellas would collaborate in developing and marketing a fully human anti-CD40 antagonistic monoclonal antibody worldwide.
The company has launched Advagraf (tacrolimus prolonged-release) in the UK and Germany for the prophylaxis of transplant rejection in adult kidney or liver allograft recipients and for the treatment of allograft rejection resistant to treatment with other immunosuppressive drugs. Advagraf is a once-daily formulation of Prograf (tacrolimus, twice-daily formulation), the immunosuppressive agent.
Astellas Pharma, Inc. and CoMentis, Inc. announced that the companies have entered into a worldwide collaboration agreement to develop and commercialize products from CoMentis' beta-secretase inhibitor program, including CoMentis' lead candidate compound CTS-21166, an orally bioavailable, small-molecule beta-secretase inhibitor which is being developed as a disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease. The agreement also includes a research collaboration to develop additional beta-secretase inhibitors.
On July 1, 2009, Maxygen Inc. announced that Astellas Pharma Inc. and Maxygen have executed an agreement to establish a joint venture focused on the discovery, research and development of multiple protein pharmaceutical programs, including Maxygen's MAXY-4 program and other early stage programs. As part of the arrangement, Maxygen would provide Astellas with an option to acquire all of Maxygen's ownership interest in the joint venture within three years after establishment of the joint venture.
On July 22, 2009, REGiMMUNE Corporation announced that Astellas Pharma Inc. and REGiMMUNE have entered into a collaboration agreement to jointly research and develop a novel vaccine-platform technology.
In July 2009, Astellas Pharma, Inc. has opened a subsidiary in the capital city of Sao Paulo (Brazil). This opening consolidates Astellas' presence within its BRIC markets, including Russia, China and India. Astellas Farma Brasil would concentrate upon imports and distribution of medications. Benign prostatic hyperplasia drugs Omnic (tamsulosin hydrochloride) and Omnic OCAS (tamsulosin-OCAS) would be the first products to be launched in Brazil.
The company has formed a joint venture with Maxygen Inc. to develop multiple protein pharmaceutical programmes, including Maxygen's MAXY-4, for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection.
The company and Maxygen, Inc. have established a joint venture, Perseid Therapeutics LLC, to focus on the discovery, research, and development of multiple protein pharmaceutical programs.
On October 27, 2009, Astellas Pharma Inc. and Medivation Inc. announced that they have entered into a global agreement to develop and commercialize MDV3100, Medivation's investigational drug for the treatment of prostate cancer. MDV3100 is being evaluated in the Phase 3 AFFIRM clinical trial in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer.
On December 18, 2009, Ambit Biosciences Corporation and Astellas Pharma, Inc. announced that they have entered into a worldwide agreement to jointly develop and commercialize FLT3 kinase inhibitors in oncology and non-oncology indications. This partnership includes AC220, Ambit's lead clinical-stage investigational drug that entered into a Phase 2 clinical trial earlier this month in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and other undisclosed FLT3 kinase inhibitors.
In April 2021, Astellas Pharma Inc. announced an agreement with Zenith Epigenetics Ltd. to evaluate ZEN-3694.
In July 2021, the company announced a worldwide strategic collaboration and license agreement with Minovia Therapeutics Ltd. for the research, development, and commercialization of novel cell therapy programs for diseases caused by mitochondrial dysfunction.
