Pfizer Japan Inc. (hereafter: Pfizer, Headquarters: Tokyo, President: Ichiro Umeda) and Astellas Pharma Inc. (hereafter: Astellas, Headquarters: Tokyo, President: Yoshihiko Hatanaka) today announced that the companies have reached the change of the co-promotion agreement for a combination drug of hypertension treatment and hypercholesterolemia treatment Caduet® Combination Tablets (generic name: amlodipine besylate and atorvastatin calcium), for which Pfizer holds the marketing approval rights in Japan, effective on October 1st, 2011.
In August 2009, Pfizer and Astellas had reached a co-promotion agreement for Caduet Combination Tablets, and since its launch in December 2009 in Japan, both companies conduct the co-promotion activity. Pursuant to new agreement, Astellas will hold its distribution rights and book its sales which are currently booked by Pfizer from October 1st 2011. And, Pfizer will continue to conduct the co-promotion activity with Astellas.
The impact from this agreement on Astellas’s financial forecast on the current fiscal year (from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012) will be immaterial.
Caduet Combination Tablets is an oral combination drug of a hypertension treatment Norbasc® Tablets (generic name: amlodipine besylate) sold by Pfizer and a hypercholesterolemia treatment Lipitor® Tablets (generic name: atorvastatin calcium) co-promoted by Pfizer and Astellas. Caduet Combination Tablets is a single tablet to combine the most prescribed drugs for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia to help with both treatments and it is expected to improve medication adherence.
Pfizer and Astellas have established great partnership through co-promotion of Lipitor Tablets and Caduet Combination Tablets. Pursuant to new agreement, Astellas will enhance its promotion activity to maximize the product value of Caduet Combination Tablets. Besides, both companies will further contribute to hypertension and hypercholesterolemia treatment by both products.
