NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 1, 2013 – Astellas Pharma Global Development, Inc. (APGD), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc. (Tokyo: 4503), announced today that it has named William Fitzsimmons, Pharm.D. the new head of global regulatory affairs and global clinical research quality assurance. Fitzsimmons will report to Masaharu Asano, D.V.M., Ph.D., senior vice president and president of quality assurance and regulatory affairs, in Tokyo.

A long-time Astellas executive Fitzsimmons will be responsible for managing all regional organizations as head of global regulatory affairs/global clinical and research quality assurance within the new organization. Fitzsimmons, who served most recently as executive vice president of regulatory drug safety and pharmacovigiliance at Astellas Pharma Global Development, will be located at the Astellas headquarters of the Americas in Northbrook.

Fitzsimmons has been with Astellas since it was created in the merger of Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co. and Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co. in 2005. He joined Fujisawa in 1990. He holds a doctor of pharmacy degree from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, Master of Science degree in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Illinois.

About Astellas

Astellas Pharma Global Development, Inc., located in Northbrook, Illinois, is an affiliate of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc. Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at

www.astellas.us.