Sanofi-Aventis and Astellas restructure Japan joint-venture

Sanofi-Aventis and Astellas Pharma have agreed to restructure Fujisawa Sanofi-Aventis K.K. (FSA) – their joint-venture in Japan.

The restructuring process will simplify operational management and will take place over several phases with the final step expected to be finished by December 31st 2007.

Sanofi-Aventis KK, the Japanese subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis, will obtain certain rights from FSA for the insomnia treatment Myslee as a result of the restructuring.

However, Myslee will continue to be co-promoted by Sanofi-Aventis KK and Astellas and distributed by Astellas.

Other FSA products such as Primperan, Dogmatyl and Gramalil will be solely marketed and distributed by Astellas.

Established in 1982, FSA is a joint-venture company which is 51 per cent owned by Sanofi-Aventis and 49 per cent owned by Astellas.

FSA owns the rights to manufacture and sell a series of products originating from Sanofi-Aventis.
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Also this week, Sanofi-Aventis and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals entered into a collaboration agreement to develop and commercialise fully-human therapeutic antibodies.

The agreement will see the utilisation of Regeneron’s VelociSuite of technologies while Sanofi-Aventis will increase its ownership of Regeneron’s outstanding common stock to nearly 20 per cent from four per cent.