ASTELLAS FIRST-HALF PROFIT RISES ON HARNAL, PROGRAF SALES

Astellas Pharma Inc., Japan's second- largest drugmaker, said its half-year profit rose 42 percent on increasing overseas demand for its Harnal prostate treatment and Prograf organ-transplant drug. Astellas, formed in April after Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co. bought Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., had net income of 67.3 billion yen ($571.4 million), or 118.78 yen a share, in the six months ended June 30, from a total of 47.35 billion yen for the two companies a year earlier, the company said in a statement today through the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000101&sid=aEPYCUvOT7Rg&refer=japan)