Press Releases

October 23, 2006

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Osaka, Japan, October 23, 2006 --- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") today announced that on October 18, 2006, Takeda Global Research & Development Centre (Europe), Ltd. ("TGRD Europe") received positive opinion from The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use ("CHMP") of the European Medicines Agency ("EMEA"), recommending to grant a marketing authorization for Tandemactェ, a fixed combination tablet of ACTOSィ (pioglitazone HCl) and glimepiride. The two recommended strengths for Tandemact are pioglitazone HCl/ glimepiride; 30mg/4mg and 45mg/4mg respectively. TGRD Europe submitted that application on July 29, 2005.

Takeda is the originator of thiazolidinedione derivatives and ACTOS is a member of the thiazolidinedione class of "insulin-sensitizing" agents, and it directly targets insulin resistance. Glimepiride acts primarily by increasing the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas. These medications work in combination to help patients with type 2 diabetes manage their blood glucose levels.

According to CHMP, the indication recommended for approval in the marketing authorisation is: "treatment of patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus who show intolerance to metformin or for whom metformin is contraindicated and who are already treated with a combination of pioglitazone and glimepiride." The detailed conditions for the use of this product will be available after the marketing authorisation has been granted by the European Commission.

"We are looking forward to providing an additional treatment option for the healthcare providers and the patients with type 2 diabetes, once the marketing authorisation is granted." said Dr. Masaomi Miyamoto, General Manager of Pharma- ceutical Development Division of Takeda. "This new combination product further enhances the convenience of ACTOS for patients with diabetes who would otherwise need to take the two constituent medications in separate tablets."

# # #