Singapore: Takeda Pharmaceutical has transferred its license agreement with the Japan Health Sciences Foundation (HS Foundation) for worldwide patent rights of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to Chemo-Sero-Therapeutic Research Institute (Kaketsuken).

In October 2010, Takeda entered into an agreement with the Japan Health HS Foundation to develop the HPV vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer. Takeda subsequently conducted preclinical development of the vaccine candidate. Following the transfer of this license agreement, Kaketsuken will continue research efforts to support future commercialization of this vaccine.

"Takeda welcomes Kaketsuken's interest in the development of this vaccine candidate as a potential new option to fight HPV," said Rajeev Venkayya, MD, President, Takeda Vaccine Business Unit. "Through these agreements and our ongoing work on other vaccine programs to address unmet medical needs, Takeda continues to contribute to public health in Japan and around the world."

The HPV vaccine candidate was invented by Dr Tadahito Kanda, who has long been involved in HPV vaccine research at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) of Japan. Dr Kanda is now affiliated with the RIKEN institute.