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Takeda Announces Partnership with BioNumerik to Market Tavocept TM, Phase 3 Chemoprotective Agent, in North America

October 7, 2004
LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. (October 7, 2004) – Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (“Takeda”), the Osaka, Japan-based parent company of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. (TPNA), has entered into an alliance agreement with U.S. based BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to market Tavocept™ (dimesna), a Phase 3 chemoprotective agent developed by BioNumerik, in the United States and Canada. Under the terms of the alliance agreement, TPNA will market Tavocept following regulatory approval in the U.S. and Canada.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted “fast track” development designation for Tavocept. Tavocept is currently being studied for its potential use in preventing or decreasing the neuropathy that is commonly caused by some chemotherapy drugs.

“We are very excited to enter into this agreement with BioNumerik to market Tavocept,” said Mark Booth, president of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. “There is a growing need for effective treatment options to better manage the side effects that result from many chemotherapy products. This alliance agreement underscores Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited’s commitment to building a U.S. presence through the growth of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.”

Takeda President and COO Yasuchika Hasegawa added, “As Takeda’s corporate philosophy states, ‘We strive toward better health for individuals and progress in medicine by developing superior pharmaceutical products.’ We hope that Tavocept will enable us to offer new options to combat the neuropathy associated with anti-cancer agents in the U.S. and Canada.”

About Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.
Based in Lincolnshire, Ill., Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan. In the United States, Takeda currently markets oral diabetes and cholesterol lowering treatments, and through the Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc. the company has a robust pipeline with compounds in development for diabetes, sleep, cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Takeda is committed to striving toward better health for individuals and progress in medicine by developing superior pharmaceutical products. To learn more about the company and its products, visit www.tpna.com .

About BioNumerik
BioNumerik, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel drugs for the treatment of patients with cancer. BioNumerik has two drug candidates in late-stage clinical development – Tavocept™ and BNP1350.

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