In order to concentrate its attention on just four key therapeutic areas, Takeda Pharmaceutical will sell its respiratory portfolio to AstraZeneca, which will pay $575 million for the business. AstraZeneca will acquire regional and local products including Alvesco and Omnaris, as well as several preclinical assets. Approximately 200 employees will transfer to AstraZeneca upon completion of the transaction.
The deal also gives AstraZeneca additional rights to roflumilast (marketed as Daliresp in the U.S. and Daxas in other countries), an oral PDE4 inhibitor for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). AstraZeneca has marketed Daliresp in the U.S. since the acquisition of the rights from Actavis in the first quarter of 2015.
Daxas was added to Takeda’s portfolio in 2011 when the company acquired Nycomed.
“The agreement with Takeda complements our respiratory business, one of our three main therapy areas, supports our return to growth and will be immediately accretive to earnings from 2016. Daxas in particular adds to our portfolio of treatments for patients with severe COPD,” explained Luke Miels, executive vice president, global portfolio and product strategy at AstraZeneca.
With this divestiture, Takeda intends to focus on gastroenterology, oncology, central nervous system, and cardiovascular and metabolic areas.
