Astellas Terminates Co-promotion Deal with GSK

In order to further increase its presence in the urology market, Astellas has announced it will no longer co-promote Vesicare in the US with GlaxoSmithKline.

Astellas Pharma Inc. announced that its affiliate, Astellas Pharma US, Inc. exercised its right under its deal with co-promotion partner GlaxoSmithKline to assume full commercial responsibility in the US for a treatment called VESIcare for overactive bladder.

After a transition period, which is expected to conclude no later than January, 2012, GSK sales representatives will no longer co-promote VESIcare and all such promotional activities will be undertaken by Astellas Pharma US.

Astellas Pharma US (Former Yamanouchi Pharma America, Inc.) and GlaxoSmithKline entered into the VESIcare co-promotion agreement in August, 2003. VESIcare was launched in January 2005 and both companies have been co-promoting VESIcare in the U.S. market, resulting in the steady growth of VESIcare sales.