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TOKYO, May 7, 2025 – Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, “Astellas”) today announced that during a meeting of its Board of Directors held today, it decided a change in Directors as outlined below. The appointment of Andreas Busch and Mark Enyedy as new candidates to be proposed at the 20th Term Annual Shareholders Meeting scheduled for June 19, 2025, represents a significant move in the company's continuous evolution, aimed at enhancing the diverse composition of our Board of Directors. Their extensive experience and insight into the global pharmaceutical industry will further strengthen the board's supervisory function and effectiveness. This decision reflects the voices from stakeholders, including shareholders. The change is subject to approval at the 20th Term Annual Shareholders Meeting and a subsequent decision at the Board of Directors meeting scheduled for the same day.
1. Candidates for Directors (excluding Directors who Are Audit & Supervisory Committee Members)
| Name | Current Position (As of May 7) | |
| Kenji Yasukawa | Reelection | Representative Director, Chairman of the Board |
| Naoki Okamura | Reelection | Representative Director, President and CEO |
| Katsuyoshi Sugita | Reelection | Representative Director, Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer |
| Takashi Tanaka | Outside Reelection |
Director, Senior Advisor, KDDI CORPORATION Director, Okinawa Cellular Telephone Company |
| Eriko Sakurai | Outside Reelection |
Outside Director, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. Outside Director, Kao Corporation Outside Director, Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Ltd |
| Masahiro Miyazaki | Outside Reelection |
Outside Director, Kurita Water Industries Ltd. |
| Yoichi Ohno | Outside Reelection |
Visiting Professor, Social Medicine, Research Administration Center and Medical Education Center, Saitama Medical University |
| Andreas Busch | Outside New Candidate |
Chief Innovation Officer, Absci Corporation |
| Mark Enyedy | Outside New Candidate |
Non-Executive Director, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. |
The current position of the candidates for outside Directors describes significant concurrent positions at other organizations pursuant to the Companies Act.
2. Candidates for Directors who Are Audit & Supervisory Committee Members
| Name | Current Position (As of May 7) | |
| Rie Akiyama | Outside Reelection |
Lawyer, Baba & Sawada Law Office Outside Director, GOLDWIN INC. |
The current position of the candidates for outside Directors describes significant concurrent positions at other organizations pursuant to the Companies Act.
3. The Board of Directors as from June 19, 2025 (planned)
Kenji Yasukawa (Representative Director, Chairman of the Board)
Naoki Okamura (Representative Director, President and CEO)
Katsuyoshi Sugita (Representative Director, Executive Vice President)
Takashi Tanaka (Outside Director)
Eriko Sakurai (Outside Director)
Masahiro Miyazaki (Outside Director)
Yoichi Ohno (Outside Director)
Andreas Busch (Outside Director)
Mark Enyedy (Outside Director)
Rika Hirota (Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
Mika Nakayama (Outside Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
Rie Akiyama (Outside Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
Tomoko Aramaki (Outside Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
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Brief Biographies of New Candidates for Outside Director
Name: Andreas Busch
Date of birth: August 26, 1963
Resume, position and responsibilities at the Company:
| October 1997 | Head of DG Cardiovascular Diseases, Hoechst Marion Roussel (current Sanofi S.A.) |
| January 1999 | Vice President, Head of DG Cardiovascular Diseases, Aventis (current Sanofi S.A.), |
| July 2004 | Global Head of Cardiovascular Research, Sanofi- Aventis (current Sanofi S.A.) |
| May 2005 | Senior Vice President, Head of Discovery Europe, Bayer HealthCare AG (current Bayer AG) |
| January 2016 | Head of Drug Discovery, Bayer Pharma AG (current Bayer AG) |
| January 2018 | Head of R&D and CSO, Shire plc |
| April 2019 | Chief Innovation Officer and CSO, Cyclerion Inc. (current Cyclerion Therapeutics Inc.) |
| February 2022 | Non-Executive Director, Centogene N.V. (current Crown LiquidationCo N.V.) |
| October 2022 | Chief Innovation Officer, Absci Corporation, (present post) |
Name: Mark Enyedy
Date of birth: December 27, 1963
Resume, position and responsibilities at the Company:
| September 1990 | Associate, Palmer & Dodge, LLP (current Locke Lord LLP) |
| February 1996 | Corporate Counsel, Genzyme Corporation (current Sanofi S.A.) |
| November 1999 | Vice President, Oncology, Business Development, Genzyme Corporation (current Sanofi S.A.) |
| July 2008 | President, Transplant, Oncology, and Multiple Sclerosis, Genzyme Corporation (current Sanofi S.A.) |
| September 2011 | Director, Chief Executive Officer, Proteostasis Therapeutics, Inc. (current Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V.) |
| July 2012 | Non-Executive Director, Fate Therapeutics, Inc. |
| August 2013 | Head of Business Unit, Internal Medicine, Shire plc |
| May 2014 | Head of Corporate Development, Shire plc |
| May 2016 | Director, President and Chief Executive Officer, ImmunoGen Inc. (current AbbVie Inc.) |
| September 2017 | Non-Executive Director, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (current Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.) |
| March 2020 | Non-Executive Director, LogicBio Therapeutics, Inc. (current Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) |
| May 2021 | Non-Executive Director, Ergomed Group Limited (present post) |
| December 2023 | Non-Executive Director, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (present post) |
About Astellas
Astellas is a global life sciences company committed to turning innovative science into VALUE for patients. We provide transformative therapies in disease areas that include oncology, ophthalmology, urology, immunology and women's health. Through our research and development programs, we are pioneering new healthcare solutions for diseases with high unmet medical need. Learn more at www.astellas.com.
Cautionary Notes
In this press release, statements made with respect to current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Astellas. These statements are based on management’s current assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in general economic conditions and in laws and regulations, relating to pharmaceutical markets, (ii) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (iii) delays in new product launches, (iv) the inability of Astellas to market existing and new products effectively, (v) the inability of Astellas to continue to effectively research and develop products accepted by customers in highly competitive markets, and (vi) infringements of Astellas’ intellectual property rights by third parties.
Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development) which is included in this press release is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice.
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