武田薬品工業株式会社
- 50 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine are expected to be distributed beginning in the first half of 2021, pending licensure in Japan
Osaka, Japan, March 5, 2021 -- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) today announced that it has submitted a New Drug Application to the Government of Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) to import and distribute Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate (TAK-919).
Takeda is currently conducting a Phase 1/2 immunogenicity and safety trial studying two vaccinations of TAK-919 given 28 days apart versus placebo in 200 healthy Japanese adults. Study results are expected to be available in May, at which point they will be submitted to the Japan Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA). The submission today included safety and efficacy results from Moderna’s pivotal Phase 3 COVE trial conducted in the US.
“Building on our existing influenza pandemic preparedness efforts, Takeda commits to delivering Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate in Japan as soon as possible,” said Masayuki Imagawa, head of the Japan Vaccines Business Unit at Takeda. “We are grateful for our partners, Moderna and the MHLW, and all the study participants who have helped us move one step closer to providing a COVID-19 vaccine in Japan.”
In 2020, Takeda announced two partnerships to support the need for rapid and sustained access to COVID-19 vaccines in Japan. The three-way agreement with Moderna and the MHLW is to import and distribute 50 million doses of TAK-919 in Japan. The partnership with Novavax is for the development and commercialization based on manufacturing capacity of over 250 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate (TAK-019) in Japan. In both cases, Takeda will be the Marketing Authorization Holder in Japan if the vaccine candidates are approved.
Takeda’s efforts to bring Moderna’s and Novavax’ vaccine candidates to Japan are supported by the MHLW and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).
About Takeda’s COVID-19 Efforts
Takeda is taking a comprehensive approach to treat and prevent COVID-19 through multiple activities and partnerships focused on advancing development of a variety of potential therapies and vaccines. Takeda co-founded the CoVig-19 Plasma Alliance and joined forces with other leading plasma companies to develop and manufacture a hyperimmune globulin medicine which is currently being evaluated in a clinical trial. The Alliance is also participating in The Fight Is In Us coalition and related convalescent plasma donation campaign. The company is also assessing existing Takeda products and those in development for activity against the COVID-19 virus, and has joined the COVID R&D Alliance, the IMI Care Alliance and the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) partnership. Takeda has partnered with the Government of Japan, Novavax and Moderna, to help accelerate the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine. We are leveraging our extensive and well-established global manufacturing and supply capabilities and building upon our existing influenza pandemic preparedness efforts in Japan. Takeda supports our partners and alliances in a shared goal to rapidly discover, develop and deliver effective treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 and ensure preparedness for future pandemics.
Takeda’s Commitment to Vaccines
Vaccines prevent 2 to 3 million deaths each year and have transformed global public health. For the past 70 years, Takeda has supplied vaccines to protect the health of people in Japan. Today, Takeda’s global vaccine business is applying innovation to tackle some of the world’s most challenging infectious diseases, such as dengue, COVID-19, Zika and norovirus. Takeda’s team brings an outstanding track record and a wealth of knowledge in vaccine development, manufacturing and global access to advance a pipeline of vaccines to address some of the world’s most pressing public health needs. For more information, visit www.TakedaVaccines.com.
About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502/NYSE: TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments, guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Genetic and Hematology, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people’s lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com.
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