Astellas and Sanwa to co-promote kidney disease drugs in Japan

Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma (TYO: 4503) yesterday revealed that it has linked up with fellow Japanese drugmaker Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho to establish a strategic alliance for the co-marketing of two drugs for kidney diseases in Japan.

Under this agreement, Astellas will distribute and both companies will co-promote the hyperkalemia treatment Argamate (calcium polystyrene sulfonate, 20% jelly 25g), which Sanwa is currently manufacturing and distributing, with the latter supplying the product to Astellas. Also, Astellas will distribute and both companies will co-promote the hyperphosphatemia treatment bixalomer (code: ASP1585), the market authorization application for which Astellas has submitted to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan.

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