Takeda to launch sales and marketing operation in Portugal

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company and its wholly-owned UK-based subsidiary for overseeing pan-European sales and marketing, Takeda Pharmaceutical Europe have reported that they plan to start their own wholly owned sales and marketing operation in Portugal, Takeda Farmaceuticos Portugal, Unipessoal, Lda.

Takeda Portugal has started to provide Glustin (generic name: pioglitazone HCl, known in Japan, US and other European markets as Actos) via wholesalers on a demand-only basis in September 2008, and now plans to start its sales and marketing operations within the next few months.

Eric Brunn, CEO of Takeda Pharmaceutical Europe, said: We are delighted to be expanding into Portugal, and along with the countries where we already have our own sales and marketing operations, we will be now be directly covering most of Western Europe, namely France, UK, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Republic of Ireland. We will actively introduce products from our portfolio, so that they will help many more patients suffering from a variety of diseases in Portugal.

Alan MacKenzie, executive vice president of international operations at Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, said: The establishment of Takeda Portugal’s operations represents the fourth geographic expansion for Takeda this year, following Canada, Spain and the Republic of Ireland.

Takeda’s expansion efforts in the Americas, Europe and Asia will play a significant role in helping us realize our vision of becoming a leading pharmaceutical company with highly integrated global operations.