Notice of Nominees for Directors

TOKYO, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 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    
     Director, Senior Advisor, KDDI CORPORATION

                           Reelection  
     Director, Okinawa Cellular Telephone Company



     Eriko Sakurai         Outside    
     Outside Director, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.

                           Reelection  
     Outside Director, Kao Corporation

                                       
     Outside Director, Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Ltd


      Masahiro Miyazaki     Outside    
     Outside Director, Kurita Water Industries Ltd.

                           Reelection



     Yoichi Ohno           Outside      Visiting Professor, Social Medicine, Research Administration Center and Medical Education Center,
                                          Saitama Medical University

                           Reelection



     Andreas Busch         Outside    
     Chief Innovation Officer, Absci Corporation

                         New Candidate



     Mark Enyedy           Outside    
     Non-Executive Director, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

                         New Candidate

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  Lawyer, Baba & Sawada Law
                                Office

                    Reelection 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)

<Reference>

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     Vice President, Oncology, Business Development, Genzyme Corporation (current
      1999         Sanofi S.A.)


     July 2008    President, Transplant, Oncology, and Multiple Sclerosis, Genzyme Corporation
                   (current Sanofi S.A.)


     September    Director, Chief Executive Officer, Proteostasis Therapeutics, Inc. (current
      2011         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    Non-Executive Director, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (current Akebia
      2017         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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SOURCE Astellas Pharma Inc.