OREANDA-NEWS. December 27, 2011. Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH today announced that it has reached a mutual agreement with Merck & Co., Inc. (based in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey and known as MSD outside the USA and Canada) to terminate their co-promotion agreement for Daxas® (roflumilast) in certain European countries and Canada as of December 31, 2011. MSD will return the rights to Daxas® to Takeda in all countries covered by the agreement.

Daxas® is a once-daily tablet for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

As a result of the significant strengthening of the combined organization following Nycomed’s acquisition by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (“Takeda”) at the end of September 2011, Takeda will now use its own sales organization to market Daxas® in the seven territories covered by the original agreement, signed in April 2010. Further details were not disclosed.

About Roflumilast (Daxas®)

Roflumilast(Daxas®) is an orally administered selective phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) enzyme inhibitor, which has been shown to inhibit COPD related inflammation with a novel mode of action. Daxas, a once-a-day tablet, is the first drug in a new class of treatment for severe COPD associated with chronic bronchitis and the first oral anti-inflammatory treatment specifically developed for COPD patients. It has received approval in several countries, including the European Union, US and Canada for the treatment of severe COPD associated with chronic bronchitis.