Astellas Pharma, a Japan-based pharmaceutical company, has announced its decision to shut down one of its subsidiaries, Urogenix, which is a research facility focusing on drug discovery in the field of urology.
The company expects to transfer research functions at Urogenix to Astellas' Tsukuba Research Center in Japan.
The closure of the North Carolina-based urology research facility, which at present employs thirteen scientists and staff, is expected to be completed by the end of December 2012.
Since Astellas acquired the research facility from Dynogen Pharmaceuticals, in March 2006, Urogenix has evaluated the clinical potential of urological development candidates especially in the area of lower urinary tract disorders
The company believes that the decision to transfer urology research activities to Japan will strengthen its commitment to optimizing its research and development resource allocation.
Urogenix explored the pathophysiology of stress urinary incontinence as well as novel treatments for the common female urologic problem.
