Astellas Pharma Inc. Ends Development Of Phase 2 Immunosuppressant Drug

TOKYO, June 30 (Reuters) - Astellas Pharma Inc. (4503.T: Quote, Profile, Research), Japan's third-largest drug maker, said on Friday it would stop development of its experimental immunosuppressant drug FK778, which it licensed from Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA: Quote, Profile, Research). Astellas said that after phase-II clinical trials in United States and Europe there was no clear evidence that FK778, used in combination with another immunosuppressant, Prograf, was superior to existing treatments such as Roche Holding AG's (ROG.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) CellCept plus Prograf.