Astellas reorganizes European business

Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma says that its board of directors has decided to reorganize the development, sales and marketing and other support functions within the group's European business.

Astellas' European business has many functions including: R&D, production and sales and marketing, which comprises export operations and employs 3,300 people. With sales of 219.6 billion yen ($1.84 billion) for the fiscal year 2006, which ended March 31, 2007, this is the second largest operation within the company. Astellas, in its medium-term plan, has positioned the European business as a stable revenue and profit base and has transferred three of its production plants in Europe to a third party on January 1; the reorganization now decided on does not affect the manufacturing function but aims to further optimize the European business.

The main changes for the group as a result of this reorganization include: