Astellas launches Advagraf in the UK

Japan-based pharmaceutical company Astellas has announced that Advagraf, its immunosuppressant, has been launched in the UK and Germany.

Now marketed around the world in 70 different countries for use in preventing rejection in organ transplant situations, it is specifically indicated for use for “prophylaxis of transplant rejection in adult kidney or liver allograft recipients” and for cases when other treatments have failed.

Astellas has said that the launch of the product in the UK and Germany are the first in a planned Europe-wide launch.

The European subsidiary of Astellas submitted a marketing authorisation application for the product in January 2006, which was followed by European Commission approval in April of this year.

Last week, Astellas announced the launch of Celecox tablets, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, in Japan. The drug was discovered in the United States by Pfizer and is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Astellas Pharma was established in April 2005, following the reorganisation of FujisawaPharmaceutical.