(Adds further details)
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 to the Japanese company.
"Full acquisition of the global rights will supportAstraZeneca's respiratory franchise and complement the company'sportfolio of treatments for severe COPD," AstraZeneca said.
Roflumilast, known as Daxas outside the US, is the only oralPDE4 inhibitor, a type of drug that has anti-inflammatoryeffects, approved for the treatment of COPD.
AstraZeneca acquired the US rights for the drug from Actavisearlier this year as part of a deal that bolstered itsrespiratory business, one of the company's three main areas offocus.
Annual global sales of the three core medicines acquired --Alvesco, Omnaris and Daxas -- were $198 million for the periodending in March 2015, AstraZeneca said.
Earlier on Wednesday, AstraZeneca said it would spend $800million to expand its presence in China over the next 10 years.
Rothschild acted for Takeda on the deal.
(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Keith Weir)
Astrazeneca (AZN)
