Tokyo (JCNN) - Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co (TSE: 4503) has announced that it will spin off its domestic formulation facilities on April 1, 2005 as announced on November 11, 2003.

The company will spin off its Yaizu Plant and Nishine Plant and transfer their business to its subsidiary Tohoku Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., on April 1, 2005. The same day, the surviving company, Tohoku Yamanouchi, will merge with Yamanouchi's other subsidiary Yamanouchi Tokai Business Co., Ltd., and transfer its headquarters to Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture to start business as a new formulation subsidiary, Astellas Tokai.

The restructuring comes as part of the Yamanouchi/Fujisawa Pharmaceutical

(TSE: 4511) merger in which the two companies will merge and start their business as Astellas Pharma Inc. on April 1, 2005.