Takeda ends obesity alliance with Amylin Pharmaceuticals

Takeda has announced that a mutual decision to end its collaborative obesity research alliance with Amylin Pharmaceuticals has been reached .

Originally signed in October 2009, the worldwide partnership saw the companies embarking on joint work to co-develop and commercialise compounds for obesity, including the combination therapy pramlintide/metreleptin.

The development of this treatment, which had been in phase II development as a twice-a-day injection formulation, was discontinued by the partners in August 2011 following a reassessment of the commercial prospects of the project.

Takeda offered assurances that its consolidated financial statement for the 2012 fiscal year will not be impacted by the termination of this partnership.

A company statement said: "Having greatly benefited from the Amylin team's collective experience and scientific expertise, Takeda will continue to enhance its research and development activities in the area of obesity as well as its other core therapeutic areas."

This month, Takeda are introducing a number of corporate restructuring initiatives, including the launch of a new global customer market business insights department, while its metabolic disease drug discovery unit is being renamed the cardiovascular and metabolic drug discovery unit.