DEERFIELD, IL, September 15, 2009 – Astellas Pharma US, Inc. today announced the winners of the Astellas Ride of a LifetimeSM 2010 contest. The contest asked transplant recipients to submit essays describing how transplantation changed their lives. The five contest winners will embark on the „ride of a lifetime’ by traveling to Pasadena, California and riding on the Donate Life float in the 2010 Rose Parade®.

“The Ride of a Lifetime contest winners overcame great challenges, and it is through the miracle of organ transplantation that they can share their stories today,” said Maribeth Landwehr, Director, Corporate Communications for Astellas. “Astellas has a longstanding commitment to the transplant community and we are proud that this is our seventh year partnering with Donate Life as a sponsor of the float and our fifth year hosting this contest.”

This year‟s contest received a record number of entries. A panel of judges selected five winners based on the inspiring nature of their stories and the impact of transplantation on their lives. The following winners will ride on the Donate Life Float themed “New Life Rises,” which will feature a phoenix, the mythical symbol of life coming out of death. The symbol represents those who give life in their passing and the people whose lives are renewed by their gifts.

Patrice Broussard, 33, liver recipient from Antelope, CA

After receiving a lifesaving liver transplant just seven months ago, Patrice immediately signed up to be an ambassador with Donate Life California. In the short time since her transplant, she has worked to lobby Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and members of the California legislature to pass transplant legislation reforms.

Delores Benton Evans, 62, kidney recipient from Durham, NC

The day after Delores’ son Ryan passed away, she received his left kidney. Delores now shares her story with the hopes of helping donor families heal and helping others understand the importance of transplantation. She is interested in using her law degree to start a program offering free legal assistance to transplant recipients and their families.

Nikki McKenna, 30, kidney recipient from Cranberry Township, PA

Diagnosed with kidney disease at age 14, Nikki faced the normal challenges of teenage life and the added challenge of chronic illness. In 1998, Nikki received a kidney from her father. Though Nikki was only a teenager at the time and had support from family and friends, she was determined to educate herself about transplantation so that she could take responsibility for her own well-being, and she has became a role model for other transplant recipients. The lessons Nikki learned as a teenager also gave her strength to share her story, and she has inspired others to register to become organ donors.

Joshua Michael Nelson, 13, kidney recipient from Granite City, IL

Joshua received the gift of life from his mother – twice. As a newborn, he was placed on kidney dialysis and spent much of his childhood bed-ridden due to treatments. At age seven he received a kidney from his mother, enabling him to enjoy outings like baseball games and swimming parties for the first time in his life. Josh began speaking in public at age four about the need for organ donation, and since his transplant, he has continued to share his story with his community and volunteer with Mid-America Transplant Services.

Juan Perez, 33, kidney recipient from Jenks, OK

After three years of waiting for a transplant and receiving dialysis treatments, Juan received a kidney transplant from his girlfriend Lacie in February 2009. The two were engaged just two days before his surgery. Now, both Juan and Lacie volunteer by offering support to patients on the transplant waiting list and participating in local transplant fundraisers. In May 2010, Juan and Lacie will wed in St. Lucia, the first time they will take a trip together due to the scheduling of dialysis.

Beyond the Ride of a Lifetime contest winners, the Donate Life Rose Parade float will feature 19 other riders whose lives have been transformed by organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation. The float is coordinated by OneLegacy, the nonprofit, federally designated organ and tissue recovery organization serving the greater Los Angeles area.

"All float riders embody the spirit of „new life rising‟ – the transplant recipients who received the gift of life, and donor families whose loved ones made the generous decision to donate,” said Bryan Stewart, Chairman of the Donate Life Rose Parade Float Committee and Vice President of Communications for OneLegacy. "We want to thank Astellas for their continued efforts to honor members of the transplant community and for their partnership on the Donate Life Rose Parade float campaign. In addition to sponsoring five float riders, they are supporting 1,000 volunteer decorators who will help bring the float to life."

To honor the inspiring stories of the 182 other transplant recipients who submitted essays to this year‟s Ride of a Lifetime contest, Astellas is purchasing rose dedications to be placed on the Donate Life Rose Parade float. The roses will be tagged with each contest entrant‟s name and be placed on the float in the Family Circle Garden, a living memorial to honor transplant recipients and donors.

For more information regarding the Astellas Ride of a Lifetime essay contest or to read the 2010 winning essays, visit www.TransplantExperience.com; for information on transplant events and other resources visit www.AstellasTransplant.com or www.Facebook.com/DonateLife.

About Astellas

Astellas is a recognized leader in transplantation and has been committed to the field of immunology for more than 20 years. Dedicated to supporting the advancement of care for patients, Astellas continues to build upon its legacy and leadership in transplantation by investing in ongoing clinical research and new product development. Astellas Pharma US, Inc., located in Deerfield, Illinois, is a U.S. affiliate of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc. Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to “Changing tomorrow” by improving the health of people around the world through innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. The organization is committed to becoming a global category leader in focused areas by combining outstanding R&D and marketing capabilities. In the US, Astellas markets products in the areas of Anti-Infectives, Cardiovascular, Dermatology, Immunology and Urology. For more information about Astellas Pharma US, Inc., please visit our Web site at www.us.astellas.com or www.AstellasTransplant.com.