Japan's Takeda gets five new products approved on home market, and partner Amgen reveals strong results with Vectibix

It was a good news day last Friday for Japan's biggest drugmaker, Takeda Pharmaceutical, which announced that New Drug Applications for five new products were approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and that US biotechnology major Amgen had posted strong Phase III trial results for one of the compounds, Vectibix (panitumumab).

The five new products approved for commercial sale in Japan comprise three new medical entities; Nesina (alogliptin benzoate) for treatment of type 2 diabetes, Rozerem (samelteon) for insomnia and anti-cancer agent Vectibix, as well as two fixed dose combinations; Metact for type 2 diabetes and Unisia for hypertension, each of them contains two compounds with a different mechanism of action respectively.

Once launched, Takeda said it expects that these products will provide patients and health care professionals with new treatment options. 'Through the sales of these new products, we are making continued effort to solidify our leading market position in Japan by further reinforcing our strong life-style related diseases franchise and enhancing our presence in the Central Nervous System and oncology therapeutic areas,' the company stated.