AstraZeneca, Astellas Sign Co-promotion Agreement

AstraZeneca and Astellas have entered into an agreement for the co-promotion of AstraZeneca’s Symbicort Turbuhaler (budesonide/formoterol, a dry powder inhaler), for the treatment of bronchial asthma in Japan.

Under the agreement, AstraZeneca and Astellas will co-promote Symbicort Turbuhaler, and Astellas will be responsible for distribution of the product.

In connection with the agreement, Astellas will make an upfront payment of $31.5 million to AstraZeneca in addition to milestone payments of up to $57.7 million, depending on the achievement of certain sales and approval of an additional indication by the Japanese authority.

Bruno Angelici, executive vice president for International Sales and Marketing at AstraZeneca, said:“We are extremely pleased to have formed this new collaboration with Astellas. Astellas has been a long time partner of AstraZeneca and has one of the strongest sales and marketing organisations in Japan.

Partnering with Astellas will ensure that we successfully launch and maximise the potential of Symbicort Turbuhaler for the roughly five million people in Japan living with asthma, he added.