LONDON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Britain's AstraZeneca hasagreed to buy Takeda Pharmaceutical's respiratorybusiness, including expanded rights to roflumilast, a treatmentfor chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
AstraZeneca, which has marketed roflumilast in the UnitedStates under the name Daliresp since the first quarter of 2015,said it would pay $575 million for the business.
"Full acquisition of the global rights will supportAstraZeneca's respiratory franchise and complement the company'sportfolio of treatments for severe COPD," the company said.
Annual global sales of the three core medicines acquired,excluding sales of Daliresp in the US, were $198 million for theperiod ending in March 2015, AstraZeneca said. (Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Kate Holton)