Takeda launches contract R&D firm

Takeda Pharmaceutical has opened a contract research firm, Axcelead, that provides drug discovery and development services to Takeda as well as other firms. Located in Kanagawa, Japan, near Tokyo, Axcelead is made up of assets and employees transferred from Takeda. It will offer preclinical services from basic research to compound optimization. Takeda says it spun off the company to increase the focus and productivity of its core research unit. In February, Takeda transferred some of its process chemistry and formulation development operations to Bushu Pharmaceuticals, a Japanese contract manufacturer.