Astellas Increases R&D To Bridge Prograf, Flomax Patent Losses

Japan's second-largest drug maker Astellas estimates net profit is down by 27 percent to ¥125 billion ($1.375 billion) for fiscal year 2009, due largely to decreasing sales from patent losses in major products Prograf (tacrolimus) and Flomax (tamsulosin) and increasing research and development expenses to cultivate new products