AstraZeneca to acquire Takeda Pharmaceutical Company for drug rights

(ShareCast News) - AstraZeneca will acquire the core respiratory business of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company for $575m (£382m).The deal includes the expansion of rights to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment roflumilast, also known as Daliresp in the US and Daxas elsewhere.The FTSE 100 company has marketed the oral inhibitor drug in the US since it acquired the rights in the first quarter of 2015, and said acquiring the global rights will support the company's respiratory franchise and complement the company's portfolio of treatments for severe COPD.Approximately 200 staff will transfer to AstraZeneca upon completion of the deal..AstraZeneca's Luke Miels said the deal complements one of the company's three main therapy areas."[It also] supports our return to growth and will be immediately accretive to earnings from 2016."Global sales of the three core medicines acquired, excluding AstraZeneca's sales of Daliresp in the US, were $198m for the year to 31 March 2015.The deal is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016.