AstraZeneca has agreed to buy Takeda's respiratory business for US$575m.
The deal gives the Anglo-Swedish Group global rights to roflumilast (marketed as Daliresp in the US and Daxas in other countries), the only approved oral PDE4 inhibitor for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
AstraZeneca has marketed Daliresp in the US since its acquisition of the rights from Actavis in the first quarter of 2015.
The firm said full acquisition of the global rights would support its respiratory franchise and complement the company’s portfolio of treatments for severe COPD.
The agreement will also provide AstraZeneca with access to other marketed respiratory medicines and early pipeline products.
Under the terms of the agreement, approximately 200 staff will transfer from the Japanese company to AstraZeneca upon completion.
Luke Miels, Executive Vice President Global Portfolio and Product Strategy at AstraZeneca, said: '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.'
Annual global sales of the three core medicines acquired – Alversco (for asthma), Omnaris (for allergic rhinitis) and Daxas – excluding any AstraZeneca sales of Daliresp in the US, were $198m for the period ending in March 2015, AstraZeneca said.
The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2016, subject to customary closing conditions.
