ASTELLAS OUTLINES ITS NEW ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL INGREDIENT MANUFACTURING COMPANY

Astellas Pharma announced on August 24 that the company has outlined its plans for a new subsidiary that will be spun off on April 1, 2006. The new company Astellas Pharma Chemicals will manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), taking over three API related manufacturing assets from the parent firm: the Takahagi plant, the Process Chemistry Labs' manufacturing and analyzing functions for APIs used in investigational drugs, and the Bulk Technology Administration's site management function.

Japan Corporate News Network (http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=10740)