Astellas Pharma Inc. (“Astellas” headquarters: Tokyo President and CEO: Masafumi Nogimori) and AstraZeneca K.K. (headquarters: Tokyo President and CEO: Masuhiro Kato) announced thatSymbicort® Turbuhaler® 30 doses and Symbicort® Turbuhaler® 60 doses (generic name: Budesonide/Formoterol fumarate dihydrate) for the therapy of adult bronchial asthma will be launched on January13, 2010 in Japan.

Symbicort® Turbuhaler® is a twice-every day treatment for adult bronchial asthma combining budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid (one dose containing 160μg) and formoterol fumarate dihydrate, a rapid and long acting β2 agonist (1 dose containing four.5μg), and the product is administered by an inhaler (Turbuhaler).

Characteristics of Symbicort® Turbuhaler® are as follows:
-The Product alone shows great efficacy in countering each of the causes of bronchial asthma, airway inflammation and airway narrowing
- By administering two medications in one product, in addition to the convenience for controlling bronchial asthma, due to the quickly onset of bronchial dilation impact of formoterol, patients can simply really feel the impact of the remedy. As a result, improvement in adherence (continuation of therapy) can be expected.

Symbicort® Turbuhaler® was listed as a new choice for lengthy-term upkeep remedy on “Asthma Prevention and Management Guideline 2009, Japan” which was revised in October 2009.
The guideline recommends that Symbicort® Turbuhaler® can be used for the treatment from step two to step 4 as the mixture therapy combining an inhaled corticosteroid and a rapid and lengthy-acting β2 agonist.

Symbicort® Turbuhaler® was first approved in Europe in 2000, and is now approved in a lot more than 100 countries and regions. The product will be manufactured and developed by AstraZeneca K.K. and distributed and sold by Astellas Pharma Inc., whilst promotion will be jointly carried out by each businesses (co-promotion).

P.S. Avoid asthma attacks by eating Vitamin C and Vitamin D rich foods and fruits.

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