Otsuka Chemical, a manufacturer of chemicals, has agreed to acquire certain assets from Astellas Pharma relating to the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), cefixime, a cephalosporin antibiotic.

Under the agreement, Otsuka will have rights to supply the cefixime API to overseas licensees along with assets such as contracts that belonged to the licensing business and the trademark. Cefixime is a third-generation cephalosporin with antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

The deal marks Otsuka Chemicals’ entry into the API business. The company says that it will continue strengthening the manufacturing technology of APIs and its contract manufacturing business by leveraging key technologies cultivated from organic and inorganic chemicals.

Otsuka Chemical is part of Otsuka Holdings, whose holdings further include Otsuka Pharmaceutical, a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products.

Source: Otsuka