The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7478 p551
17 November 2007

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UniChem to distribute Astellas immunosuppressants in UK

Astellas Pharma has appointed UniChem as sole distributor for its tacrolimus products in the UK, following a spate of complaints from pharmacists unable to obtain them in a timely manner. One pharmacist described “sporadic” availability of Prograf 1mg capsules in a letter to The Journal last month (PJ, 6 October 2007, pp382–383).

Amit Makwana, managing director at Astellas, commented: “We know that we’ve supplied over 30 per cent more Prograf than what UK patients need. Pharmacists need a reliable supply of these medicines.”

The change, which comes into effect on 26 November 2007, applies only to Astellas’s tacrolimus products Prograf and Advagraf. As with its existing direct-to-pharmacy arrangement with Pfizer, UniChem has subcontracted Sangers (NI) to deliver Prograf and Advagraf on its behalf in Northern Ireland.