Teva will have a 51% stake in the new company and Takeda will own the remaining 49%. This builds on an existing partnership between the two companies for brand-name products, including Teva’s multiple sclerosis therapy Copaxone (glatiramer acetate).

Teva's portfolio of generics and some of Takeda’s long-listed medicines have been transferred to the new company, including high blood pressure treatment Blopress (candesartan), Takepron (lansoprazole) for peptic ulcers and Basen (voglibose) for type 2 diabetes.

The company will initially operate independently under the new name but will change its name to ‘Teva Takeda Pharma’ later in 2016.

Hiroshi Matsumori has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and President of Teva Pharma Japan.

President of Takeda’s Japan’s Pharmaceutical Business Unit, Masato Iwasaki, commented that ‘Takeda’s leading brand reputation and strong distribution presence in Japan combined with Teva’s global supply chain and production network, expertise in commercial deployment and R & D, and the understanding of science, brings forward a new, collaborative business model in line with government objectives and ultimately serving millions of patients.’

This is not Teva’s first venture into Japan. The company acquired Japan’s third largest generics and biopharmaceuticals maker Cephalon in 2011 [1]. Japan is one of the fastest growing generics markets in the world and the Japanese Government has pledged to achieve 80% generics penetration by the end of 2020 [2].

Related article
Prescribing and dispensing generics in Japan 

References
1. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Teva grabs biopharmaceutical company Cephalon [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2016 May 13]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Teva-grabs-biopharmaceutical-company-Cephalon
2.  GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Further capping of generics in Japan [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2016 May 13]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Policies-Legislation/Further-capping-of-generics-in-Japan

Permission granted to reproduce for personal and non-commercial use only. All other reproduction, copy or reprinting of all or part of any ‘Content’ found on this website is strictly prohibited without the prior consent of the publisher. Contact the publisher to obtain permission before redistributing.

Copyright – Unless otherwise stated all contents of this website are © 2016 Pro Pharma Communications International. All Rights Reserved.