Astellas Pharma Inc. (アステラス製薬株式会社, Asuterasu Seiyaku Kabushiki Kaisha^?) (TYO: 4503 ) is a Japanese pharmaceutical company, formed on 1 April 2005 from the merger of Yamanouchi Pharmaceutrical Co. and Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co. Astellas' franchise areas are urology, immunology and inflammation (transplantation). Priority areas for R&D are infectious diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal organs, and the central nervous system. The company's headquarters are in Tokyo, with research centres in Tsukuba and Osaka. Clinical development is centred in Deerfield, Illinois and Leiderdorp in The Netherlands. Combined revenues of the two pre-merger companies were $7.9 billion in 2004. Worldwide the company employs about 15,300 people. The Tokyo Stock Exchange (東京証券取引所 Tōkyō Shōken Torihikijo, abbreviated TSE) is the worlds second-largest stock exchange market. ... A pharmaceutical company (or drug company) is a company licensed to discover, develop, market and distribute drugs. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Urology is the field of surgery that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and of the male reproductive system. ... Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. ... Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. ... An organ transplant is the transplantation of an organ (or part of one) from one body to another, for the purpose of replacing the recipients damaged or failing organ with a working one from the donor. ... In medicine, infectious disease or communicable disease is disease caused by a biological agent such as by a virus, bacterium or parasite. ... This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ... A diagram showing the CNS: 1. ... Tokyo ) , literally eastern capital, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and includes the highly urbanized central area formerly known as the city of Tokyo which is the heart of the Greater Tokyo Area. ... Tsukuba (Japanese: つくば市; -shi; from Han character 筑波) is a planned city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. ... Osaka Hall Mayor Seki Junichi Address 〒530-8201 Osaka-shi,Kita-ku Nakanoshima 1-3-20 Phone number 06-6208-8181 Official website: Osaka City , Osaka ) is the capital of Osaka Prefecture and the third-largest city in Japan, with a population of 2. ... Incorporated Village in 1903. ... Leiderdorp (population: 26,182 in 2004) is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland near to the city of Leiden. ...

History

Fujisawa Shoten was started in 1894 by Tomokichi Fujisawa in Osaka, and was renamed Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co. in 1943. Osaka Hall Mayor Seki Junichi Address 〒530-8201 Osaka-shi,Kita-ku Nakanoshima 1-3-20 Phone number 06-6208-8181 Official website: Osaka City , Osaka ) is the capital of Osaka Prefecture and the third-largest city in Japan, with a population of 2. ...

Yamanouchi Yakuhin Shokai was started started in 1923 by Kenji Yamanouchi in Osaka. The company was renamed Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co. in 1940 and transferred to Tokyo in 1942. Tokyo ) , literally eastern capital, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and includes the highly urbanized central area formerly known as the city of Tokyo which is the heart of the Greater Tokyo Area. ...

Both companies started their overseas expansion at about the same time, opening offices in Taiwan in 1962 and 1963 respectively, and in the United States and Europe from 1977 onwards. Fujisawa acquired Lyphomed in 1990 and thereafter established its US R&D centre in Deerfield, Illinois. Yamanouchi's R&D centre in Leiderdorp was established with the acquisition of the pharmaceutical division of Royal Gist Brocades in 1991. Incorporated Village in 1903. ... Leiderdorp (population: 26,182 in 2004) is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland near to the city of Leiden. ...

Fujisawa and Yamanouchi combined in a "merger of equals", forming Astellas Pharma as from 1 April 2005. April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• (English) Astellas Pharma Inc.