For Immediate Release

Company name: DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED
Representative: Joji Nakayama, President and CEO
(Code no.: 4568, First Section of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya Stock Exchanges)
Please address inquiries to Toshiaki Sai, Corporate Officer,
Vice President, Corporate Communications Department
Telephone: +81-3-6225-1126
http://www.daiichisankyo.com/

Daiichi Sankyo Announces Changes in Kitasato Daiichi Sankyo Vaccine’s Supply Plans for Influenza HA Vaccine

Tokyo, Japan (September 22, 2011) – Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) issued a news release on September 12 to inform that domestic subsidiary Kitasato Daiichi Sankyo Vaccine Co., Ltd. (hereafter, Kitasato Daiichi Sankyo Vaccine) would delay supply of its Kitasato Daiichi Sankyo influenza HA vaccine and Kitasato Daiichi Sankyo influenza HA vaccine syringe for September. This was because some batches did not meet criteria in quality specification test. Retesting has confirmed these batches did not meet standards.

 

At this juncture, Kitasato Daiichi Sankyo Vaccine will be unable to ship 2,360,000 doses out of a planned total of around 4,780,000 one-milliliter-equivalent HA vaccine doses for the upcoming flu season.

 

The remaining 2,420,000 doses are undergoing intensive quality tests. Kitasato Daiichi Sankyo Vaccine will start additional production and will ship only those doses that match standards. Daiichi Sankyo will disclose new supply plans as soon as the results of quality specification test and a national assay become available.

 

Daiichi Sankyo will endeavor to overcome its supply shortages by collaborating closely with government authorities and expanding its production. Management offers its deepest apologies to all individuals who are waiting for this vaccine.