For Immediate Release

GlaxoSmithKline K.K.
Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.

GSK and Daiichi Sankyo enter into strategic alliance to establish a Vaccine Joint Venture in Japan

GSK Japan and Daiichi Sankyo announce that GSK Biologicals, GSK Japan and Daiichi Sankyo have agreed to enter into a strategic alliance in vaccines business and will form a Vaccine Joint Venture in Japan. Ｔｈｅ Joint Venture will be named Japan　Vaccine Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, JV)．　GSK and Daiichi Sankyo will invest equally to JV.

 

1. Background and Significance

Recently due to the progress of science and medicine, efforts towards disease prevention are increasing significantly. In Japan however, many vaccines which have effectively contributed to diseases prevention in other advanced countries are not used. To improve the situation, the Vaccine Industry Vision proposed by MHLW in March 2007 talks about the need to strengthen the vaccine industry and in recent years many new vaccines are being introduced showing substantial change in the environment for vaccines.

 

Under such environment, it has been decided to create a new vaccine company combining the strength of both partners, namely GSK, with its extensive global development know-how, rich pipeline, most advanced technology and recent contributions to the Japanese vaccine market environment, coupled with Daiichi Sankyo’s development know-how in Japan, domestic production capability, and the domestic experience of sales and logistics, to meet the medical needs of society by delivering vaccines quickly. JV will be responsible for late stage development, marketing and sales of prophylactic vaccines and will aim to protect Japanese people of all ages from children to the elderly from infections.

 

Specifically;

●　Contribute to improving access to vaccines in Japan.

●　Introduce new vaccines for which vaccination is recommended overseas and increase product line-up.

●　Create better, more convenient combination vaccines by bringing together the technologies and products of parent companies.

●　Provide evidence based information and ensure stable supply of vaccines to realize wide distribution and high vaccination rate.

 

2. Outline of JV

JV will inherit the development and commercial rights for prophylactic vaccines from both parent companies and will be responsible for clinical development, marketing and sales in Japan. At start up, JV will market vaccines marketed by GSK and Daiichi Sankyo and expand the business as new vaccines in the development pipeline are approved.

 

Name	Japan Vaccine Co., Ltd.
Founded	April 2, 2012
Business Commence	July 2, 2012
Head Office	Tokyo, JAPAN
Representative	Chairman & Co-CEO: Toshihiro Ishikiriyama  President & Co-CEO: Akira Nagano
Capital	100 million yen
Investment %	GSK 50％、Daiichi Sankyo 50％
Business	Development, import and sales of prophylactic vaccines in Japan.
Main Products	Cervarix, Rotarix、Seasonal flu vaccine, , mumps vaccine, DTP vaccine, MR vaccine etc.
Employee	About 200　（120 M Reps）

 

3. About GSK

GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals - (GSK Biologicals), GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccines business, is one of the world’s leading vaccine companies and a leader in innovation. The company is active in vaccine research, development and production with over 30 vaccines approved for marketing and 20 more in development - both in the prophylactic and therapeutic fields. Headquartered in Belgium, GSK Biologicals has 14 manufacturing sites strategically positioned around the globe. In 2010, GSK Biologicals distributed 1.43 billion doses of vaccines to 179 countries in both the developed and the developing world.

 

About GSK　Japan

Name	GlaxoSmithKline K.K.
Representative	President, Philippe Fauchet
Founded	August 18, 1953
Address	Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo JAPAN
Capital	2067 million yen
Business	Pharmaceuticals, Consumer healthcare products, vaccines
Employees	About 3500

 

4. About Daiichi Sankyo

 

Name	Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.
Representative	President, Joji Nakayama
Founded	September 28, 2005
Address	Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo JAPAN
Capital	50 billion yen
Business	Pharmaceuticals
Employees	31,570 （consolidated）

 

 

 

 

Contacts
GlaxoSmithKline　K.K.  Corporate Communications Department  Telephone:  +81-3-5786-5030	Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd.  Corporate Communications Department  Telephone:  +81-3-6225-1126