Tokyo, October 18, 2017 - Astellas Pharma Inc. (President and CEO: Yoshihiko Hatanaka, “Astellas” ) today announced that it has entered into a new collaborative research agreement with TB Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding faster-acting and affordable drug regimens to fight tuberculosis (TB), for the exploration of new drugs against TB. This research program will be funded by the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund1 (“GHIT Fund”).
Under this agreement, Astellas will provide its original library of tens of thousands of compounds, and TB Alliance will be in charge of screening for the discovery of hit compounds to be used in the research and development of new TB drugs.
TB is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which leads to death in the worst cases. In 2015, 10.4 million people fell ill with TB, and as many as 1.8 million people (including 0.4 million infected with HIV) died of this disease. Over 95% of TB deaths occur in the developing world.2 This situation is posing a serious problem and the discovery of innovative new TB drugs are desired.
The GHIT Fund, which will fund this research program, is an international non-profit organization aimed at leveraging Japanese expertise and capability for life-saving health innovations, including drugs, vaccines and diagnostics, to combat HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, neglected tropical diseases prevalent in the developing world. Astellas has supported the GHIT Fund for five years since its foundation, and has also committed to supporting it for the next five years (FY2018-FY2022) together with a cross-sector group of funding partners.
Astellas will continue to resolving Access to Health issues through commitment to this research collaboration as well as continuous participation in the GHIT Fund.
(1) GHIT Fund: an international non-profit organization aimed at leveraging Japanese expertise and capability for life-saving health innovations, including drugs, vaccines and diagnostics, to combat HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, neglected tropical diseases prevalent in the developing world. A public interest corporation registered in Japan, the GHIT Fund is the first international public-private partnership between the Japanese Government: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, private sector, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust and the United Nations Development Program.
(2) World Health Organization(WHO) media centre http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/
About Astellas
Astellas Pharma Inc., based in Tokyo, Japan, is a company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. We focus on Urology, Oncology, Immunology, Nephrology and Neuroscience as prioritized therapeutic areas while advancing new therapeutic areas and discovery research leveraging new technologies/modalities. We are also creating new value by combining internal capabilities and external expertise in the medical/healthcare business. Astellas is on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into value for patients. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.astellas.com/en.
About TB Alliance
TB Alliance is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding faster-acting and affordable drug regimens to fight tuberculosis (TB). Through innovative science and with partners around the globe, we aim to ensure equitable access to faster, better TB cures that will advance global health and prosperity. TB Alliance operates with support from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research through KfW, Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, Irish Aid, Indonesia Health Fund, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNITAID, United Kingdom Department for International Development, United States Agency for International Development, and the United States Food and Drug Administration. For more information, please visit: www.tballiance.org
Cautionary Notes
In this press release, statements made with respect to current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Astellas. These statements are based on management’s current assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in general economic conditions and in laws and regulations, relating to pharmaceutical markets, (ii) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (iii) delays in new product launches, (iv) the inability of Astellas to market existing and new products effectively, (v) the inability of Astellas to continue to effectively research and develop products accepted by customers in highly competitive markets, and (vi) infringements of Astellas’ intellectual property rights by third parties. Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development) which is included in this press release is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice.
Contacts for inquiries or additional information:
Astellas Pharma Inc.
Corporate Communications
TEL: +81-3-3244-3201 FAX: +81-3-5201-7473
