Astellas Pharma Inc. ("Astellas"; headquarters: Tokyo; President and CEO: Toichi Takenaka) decided at a board meeting held today that it will apply for delisting of its common stocks from the following three stock exchanges: Sapporo Securities Exchange, Nagoya Stock Exchange, and Euronext Paris.
1. Stock exchanges where Astellas common stocks will be delisted
Sapporo Securities Exchange, Nagoya Stock Exchange, and Euronext Paris (3 stock exchanges)
2. Reasons for delisting
The impact of delisting on shareholders and investors is expected to be minimal because the trading volume of Astellas stocks in these three stock exchanges is very low.
3. Stock exchanges where Astellas stocks will continued to be traded
Tokyo Stock Exchange and Osaka Stock Exchange
4. Schedule
(1) Sapporo Securities Exchange, Nagoya Stock Exchange
An application for delisting will be submitted in March 2006. After acceptance by the two securities exchanges, Astellas stocks will be assigned to the liquidation post and the delisting procedures will be completed about one month after the assignment.
(2) Euronext Paris
An application for delisting will be submitted in March 2006 in order to complete delisting procedures by the end of September 2006. Approval by the Autorité des Marché s Financiers (AMF) is necessary for delisting from Euronext Paris. Astellas will be notified by Euronext Paris when its application is approved.
