Astellas Pharma Inc was formed on 1st April 2005 from the merger of Yamanouchi and Fujisawa. The aim of Astellas is to secure a top share in the Japanese pharmaceutical market; the combined company now has 4,900 medical representatives, the largest among domestic pharmaceutical companies, and it aims to develop an even stronger sales and marketing infrastructure. The company also expects to be able to provide broad coverage for both primary care physicians and speciality markets in the US by leveraging the existing infrastructures to accelerate expansion of the US business.

Astellas has concentrated its core business on pharmaceuticals and related products, split into six key franchise fields and priority research areas; urology, inflammation, diabetes, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disease and the central nervous system.

The company has a number of licensed-in products, which have been proven overseas by partner companies. These products, such as Liptor, Micardis, Luvox and Myslee, are regarded as "Synergy Products'" by Astellas and should provide the foundation for future growth. Astellas is throwing its weight behind these products with support from all of its medical sales representatives and Area Marketing Supporters. Other key products do not have this luxury - Astellas has divided up its sales force into two: GA, which markets Yamanouchi products and CF, which markets the former Fujisawa products.

Although there are a number of older products which are declining in sales, Astellas' broad portfolio should enable it to smoothly transition its late-stage products through to the launch phase in time to offset these declines.