Monday, March 17, 2008

Astellas - Advagraf: Prograf evergreening fails in the US

Astellas, Japan's second-largest drugmaker, fell to a 30-month low in Tokyo trading after failing to win U.S. approval a once-daily version of its immunosuppressant Prograf.

Astellas plunged as much as 5.1 percent after the Tokyo- based company said the Food and Drug Administration requires more data on the extended-release formulation of its best-selling product for kidney transplant recipients.

The delay, announced after markets in Japan closed on Friday, means Astellas may not have the new medicine on the market in the U.S. before Prograf's patent expires next month.

More at Bloomberg

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