Tokyo, February 23, 2017 - Astellas Pharma Inc. (President and CEO: Yoshihiko Hatanaka, “Astellas”) today announced that Astellas, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (President and CEO: Christophe Weber, “Takeda”), Teva Takeda Pharma Ltd. (CEO and President Hiroshi Matsumori: “Teva Takeda Pharma”) and Teva Takeda Yakuhin Ltd. (Representative Director: Ichiro Kikushige, “Teva Takeda Yakuhin”) have concluded a memorandum of understanding concerning the establishment of a new structure in Hokkaido for the joint storage and distribution of products of these four companies as well as a jointly-operated logistics center to be located in Sapporo, with the objective of further ensuring stable supplies, qualities and efficient transportation of pharmaceuticals in emergency situations, such as a natural disaster.

In recent years, there have been many natural disasters such as those due to earthquakes, storms and flooding. Maintaining stable supplies of prescription pharmaceuticals at such times is a major issue to be addressed. Another requirement is ensuring quality during storage and transportation considering GDP (Good Distribution Practice). Furthermore, we are now also facing distribution-related issues such as a shortage of truck drivers, maintaining safe operations and reducing CO2 emissions.

Under the memorandum of understanding, the companies will cooperate with each other in addressing the above issues and environmental changes. Its aims are to create a new structure in Hokkaido for the joint storage (standardization of working and management procedures, etc.) and joint transportation (reduction in number of trucks through standardization of delivery procedures, raising efficiency of loading, etc.) of prescription pharmaceuticals and start operating a joint logistics center by March 2018.

The creation of a stable and efficient logistics platform will enable the companies to fulfill their mission of maintaining stable supplies of pharmaceutical products and ensuring the quality under any conditions. It will also give a sense of security to patients and medical institutions.

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