Takeda Receives $38 Million Grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Support Polio Eradication in Developing Countries

Polio eradication is a historic event that is on the verge of being
the next major victory in public health

OSAKA, Japan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TOKYO:4502),
(“Takeda”) today announced a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation to support global polio eradication in developing countries.
With this funding, Takeda will develop, license and supply at least 50
million doses per year of Sabin-strain inactivated poliovirus vaccine
(sIPV) to more than 70 developing countries. The vaccine will be
manufactured at Takeda’s facility in Hikari, Japan. This effort is
aligned with Takeda’s strategy to utilize innovation and partnerships to
address critical unmet needs in global public health, and the
Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in September
2015.

Christophe Weber, President and CEO of Takeda said: “Takeda is honored
to partner with the Gates Foundation to support the polio endgame. This
represents a major commitment by a Japanese company to the health of
children in developing countries around the world.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the Gates Foundation will provide a
$38 million grant to Takeda to leverage its innovative vaccine
manufacturing platform to develop and license a safe and effective
Sabin-strain inactivated polio vaccine, and make at least 50 million
doses per year available at an affordable price for developing countries
receiving Gavi support. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, brings together
public and private sectors with the shared goal of creating equal access
to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest
countries. Takeda’s sIPV was originally licensed from the Japan Polio
Research Institute, which is now a part of BIKEN.

Chris Elias, President, Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation stated, “In 2016, the world is closer than ever to
eradicating polio. To eradicate polio we need to ensure every last child
is protected from the disease – this partnership will help to ensure
that the world has enough vaccine to get the job done and maintain a
polio free world.”

“Takeda’s polio program demonstrates our commitment to tackle the most
important public health problems and promote access for the populations
in greatest need, joining our programs in dengue, norovirus, and hand,
foot and mouth disease,” added Dr. Rajeev Venkayya, President of
Takeda’s Vaccine Business Unit. “We’re excited about this partnership
with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the potential to reach
hundreds of millions of children around the globe as part of the final
push to eradicate polio.”

About Polio
Polio (poliomyelitis) is a crippling and
potentially fatal infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. There is
no cure, but there are safe and effective vaccines. The strategy to
eradicate polio is therefore based on preventing infection by immunizing
every child until transmission stops and the world is polio-free. It
invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis in a
matter of hours. Polio can strike at any age, but it mainly affects
children under five years old. ¹

Takeda’s Commitment to Vaccines
Vaccines prevent more than
two million deaths each year and have transformed global public health.
For 70 years, Takeda has supplied vaccines to protect the health of
people in Japan. Today, Takeda’s global vaccine business is applying
innovation to tackle some of the world’s most challenging infectious
diseases, such as dengue and norovirus. Our team brings an outstanding
track record and a wealth of knowledge in vaccine development,
manufacturing and global access to advance a pipeline of vaccines to
address some of the world’s most pressing public health needs.

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Takeda
Pharmaceutical Company Limited is a global, R&D-driven pharmaceutical
company committed to bringing better health and a brighter future to
patients by translating science into life-changing medicines. Takeda
focuses its research efforts on oncology, gastroenterology and central
nervous system therapeutic areas. It also has specific development
programs in specialty cardiovascular diseases as well as late-stage
candidates for vaccines. Takeda conducts R&D both internally and with
partners to stay at the leading edge of innovation. New innovative
products, especially in oncology and gastroenterology, as well as its
presence in emerging markets, fuel the growth of Takeda. More than
30,000 Takeda employees are committed to improving quality of life for
patients, working with our partners in health care in more than 70
countries. For more information, visit http://www.takeda.com/news.

¹ World Health Organization, http://www.polioeradication.org/Polioandprevention.aspx

Contacts

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
For media outside of Japan:
Paul
Newman, +1 617 444 4418
paul.newman@takeda.com
For
Japanese media:
Tsuyoshi Tada, +81-3-3278-2417
tsuyoshi.tada@takeda.com