Astellas Pharma has terminated an agreement that was executed in September 2010 between it and UMN Pharma, a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Kanagawa, Japan for the co-development and Astellas’ exclusive commercialization of the cell-culture-based influenza vaccine programs in Japan for two candidates, ASP7374 and ASP7373.

Upon termination, Astellas will return to UMN Pharma all rights granted under the agreement. Astellas will withdraw the application for marketing approval of ASP7374 and discontinue the development of ASP7373. ASP7374 is a recombinant influenza hemagglutinin (HA) vaccine for preventing seasonal influenza and ASP7373 is a recombinant influenza HA vaccine for preventing pandemic influenza.

Source: Astellas Pharma and UMN Pharma