Tokyo, Japan-- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. [Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Tatsuo Higuchi] (Otsuka Pharmaceutical) and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. [Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Osamu Nagayama] (Chugai) announced the conclusion of a co-promotion agreement for the antiplatelet agent "Pletaal^®" (nonproprietary name: cilostazol) in the Japanese hemodialysis market. Pletaal^® has been solely distributed by Otsuka Pharmaceutical in Japan since April 1988.

Under the agreement, Chugai will start co-promotion activities for Pletaal^® in the hemodialysis market in March 2007.

Pletaal^® is an antiplatelet agent with a platelet aggregation inhibitory action and a vasodilating action developed by Otsuka Pharmaceutical. Indicated for improvement of ischemic symptoms including ulcer, pain, and coldness associated with chronic arterial obstruction, Pletaal^® was launched in the market in April 1988. An additional indication for reduction of recurrent cerebral infarction (not including cardiogenic cerebral infarction) was approved in April 2003.

Arteriosclerotic diseases such as ischemic heart disease (e.g. angina, myocardial infarction), cerebrovascular disorders, and chronic arterial obstruction have been increasing recently due to the aging of the population, stress in daily life, and the increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Many hemodialysis patients with concomitant diabetes are known to develop arteriosclerotic diseases early, which will eventually progress to an advanced stage.

Having set the renal diseases field as one of its targeted disease areas and possessing related products such as Epogin^® (renal anemia treatment), Oxarol^® (secondary hyperparathyroidism treatment), and Renagel^® (hyperphosphatemia treatment), Chugai aims to continue improving total care for patients by enhancing and enriching its product lines in the renal area.

The decision to begin co-promotion of this product is based on Otsuka Pharmaceutical's desire to expand the promotional activities for Pletaal^® and Chugai's aim to enhance total care by providing information on products that meet the high medical needs of hemodialysis patients. Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Chugai hope this co-promotion agreement will make a further contribution to improve patients' QOL by providing a treatment choice for chronic arterial obstruction, one of the complications suffered by dialysis patients.

About Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1964, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a healthcare company with the mission statement: "Otsuka - people creating new products for better health worldwide." Otsuka researches, develops, manufactures and markets innovative, original products, focusing its core businesses on pharmaceutical products for the treatment of disease and consumer products for the maintenance of everyday health. The Otsuka Pharmaceutical Group comprises 87 companies and employs approximately 27,000 people in 17 countries and regions worldwide. Otsuka and its consolidated subsidiaries earned US$6.8 billion in annual revenues in fiscal 2005.

About Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Chugai Pharmaceutical, based in Tokyo, specializes in prescription pharmaceuticals and ranked 4th in the domestic market in 2005.
Since the start of the strategic alliance with Roche in October 2002, Chugai is actively involved in prescription pharmaceutical R&D activities in Japan and abroad as an important member of the Roche Group. Specifically, Chugai is working to develop innovative products with global applications, focusing on the disease areas of oncology, renal disease, and bone and joint.
In Japan, Chugai's research facilities in Fuji Gotemba and Kamakura are collaborating to develop new pharmaceuticals and Ukima is conducting research for technology development for industrial production. Overseas, Chugai Pharma USA and Chugai Pharma Europe are engaged in clinical development activities in the United States and Europe.
Chugai is planning to submit eight applications for drug approval in 2006 and targets a consolidated revenue of 450 billion yen in 2010.