June 18, 2009

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

New Dosage Combination of Blopress^® and diuretic
Launched in First European Market

18 June 2009 --- Takeda has launched two new dose strengths of Blopress Plus^® in Germany. These are fixed-dose combinations of 32 mg candesartan - the maximum dose authorized in Europe - with 25 mg and 12.5 mg of hydrochlorothiazide respectively. These two new strengths are indicated for the treatment of essential hypertension in patients whose blood pressure is not optimally controlled with 32mg candesartan or hydrochlorothiazide monotherapy.¹

The German launch is the first in Europe, following marketing authorization from the local regulatory authority via the decentralised procedure. The company has also been granted marketing authorization in Austria, Portugal  and Spain, and further launches are expected in other major European markets.

Authorization has been based on results from clinical studies showing that Blopress Plus^® at these doses is more effective at reducing blood pressure than its monotherapy components taken alone.^2,3

“The Blopress family of products is Takeda’s biggest selling franchise in Europe, and the addition of these new high-strength fixed-dose combinations of Blopress Plus^® will further enhance our portfolio,” commented Erich Brunn, CEO of Takeda Pharmaceuticals Europe Limited, Takeda’s wholly-owned UK-based subsidiary for overseeing pan-European sales and marketing. “The new doses can provide additional blood pressure reduction to hypertensive patients who need more than monotherapy alone.”

-Ends-

For all media enquiries, please contact:

Seizo Masuda
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Public and Investor Relations
81 3 3278 2037
masuda_seizotakeda.co.jp

Richard Kenyon
Takeda Pharmaceuticals Europe Limited
Corporate Communications
44 20 3116 8861
richard.kenyontpeu.co.uk

About Candesartan

Discovered by Takeda, Candesartan cilexetil is an angiotensin receptor blocker, indicated for the treatment of patients with hypertension and patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Candesartan was originally approved for the treatment of hypertension in 1997 and in November 2004 was granted EU Marketing Authorisation for the treatment of patients with heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction, on the basis of the CHARM program which demonstrated that Blopress^® titrated to 32 mg once daily improved symptoms, reduced hospital admissions and reduced mortality in CHF patients⁴.

Candesartan cilexetil is marketed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited under the trademarks Blopress^®, Amias^® and Kenzen^® and the fixed dose combination with 8mg or 16mg of candesartan cilexetil and 12.5mg hydrochlorothiazide is marketed under the trademarks Blopress Plus^® and CoKenzen^®.

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.

References

• 1.Summary of Product Characteristics Blopress Plus^®
• 2.Bönner, G. for the Multicenter Study Group. Antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of candesartan-hydrochlorothiazide 32/12.5 mg and 32/25 mg in patients not optimally controlled with candesartan monotherapy. Blood Pressure. 2008; 17 (Suppl 2): 22-30
• 3.Papademetriou V, Reif M, Henry D et al for the Candesartan Cilexetil/Hydrochlorothiazide combination study investigators. Combination therapy with candesartan cilexetil and hydrochlorothiazide in patients with systemic hypertension. J Clin Hypertens 2000;2:372-8
• 4.Pfeffer MA et al. Effects of candesartan on mortality and morbidity in patients with chronic heart failure: the CHARM-Overall programme. Lancet 2003;362:759–766.