Takeda/Otsuka bolster GI presence via Japan P-CAB alliance

Otsuka Pharmaceutical is to co-promote in Japan Takeda's potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) vonoprazan (TAK-438) in an alliance worth JPY20bn ($196m) upfront to the latter company. Otsuka will also pay an undisclosed milestone to its partner on the marketing approval of the drug and receive a percentage of sales following commercialization.