July 19, 2007

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Takeda's Investigational Compound TAK-491 for Treatment of Hypertension Enters into Phase 3 Clinical Stage in the U.S. and Europe

Osaka, Japan, July 19, 2007 --- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") announced today that its investigational compound TAK-491 has entered into Phase 3 clinical stage in the U.S. and Europe. TAK-491 is an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) discovered by Takeda and its mechanism of action is to lower blood pressure by inhibiting action of a vasopressor hormone Angiotensin II.

TAK-491 is expected to show stronger anti-hypertensive action, and also to have superior profile in improving the insulin resistance and decreasing proteinuria, as compared to existing ARBs on the market.

"We are pleased with the progress of TAK-491's development stage into Phase 3 as this compound is expected to succeed our current mainstay product, Candesartan, an ARB," said Masaomi Miyamoto, Ph.D., General Manager of Pharmaceutical Development Division of Takeda. "In addition, together with our other existing product pioglitazone HCl, and investigational compounds such as SYR-322 and TAK-475 in the phase 3 clinical stage, we believe TAK-491 will further enhance our most important therapeutic areas of metabolic diseases; hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, etc."

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Located in Osaka, Japan, Takeda is a research-based global company with its main focus on pharmaceuticals. As the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan and one of the global leaders of the industry, Takeda is committed to striving toward better health for individuals and progress in medicine by developing superior pharmaceutical products. Additional information about Takeda is available through its corporate website, www.takeda.com.

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