Astellas Pharma Inc.

Astellas Pharma Inc. is a Japanese pharmaceutical company headquartered in Tokyo, among the largest drug makers in Japan. It was formed in 2005 through the merger of Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical and Fujisawa Pharmaceutical, two Japanese pharmaceutical companies each with corporate histories reaching back to the late nineteenth century. Astellas focuses its research and commercial efforts particularly on urology, oncology, transplantation medicine and, more recently, gene and cell therapy, and it markets medicines including treatments for overactive bladder and prostate cancer across major global markets. The company maintains research and manufacturing operations in Japan, the United States and Europe and pursues an active strategy of licensing and acquiring biotechnology assets to expand its drug pipeline.