Takeda ‘eyeing European acquisitions’

Takeda, the Japanese pharmaceutical company, has revealed it is on the lookout for mergers and acquisitions in Europe.

Company president Yasuchika Hasegawa claims that Takeda intends to increase its market share in the European market, which it views as disproportionately small in comparison to its market share in other territories.

In order to achieve this, the company is looking to acquire small and medium-sized businesses that could increase Takeda’s distribution network in the region, Mr Hasegawa told a Bloomberg interview.

“This disproportionate presence in Europe has been unchallenged for a long time,” he added.

Mr Hasegawa concluded by saying: “We have no choice but to be a global pharmaceutical company.”

Earlier this month, Takeda announced strong quarterly results, marked by positive sales in Actos, although in recent months the company has abandoned some candidate drugs for the treatment of diabetes, including TAK-128.

However, the company has taken some measures to repair its product pipeline, such as new collaboration with Xoma to develop new therapeutic antibodies for medicinal purposes.