DEERFIELD, Ill., Aug. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas US, LLC ("Astellas") recently named Percival Barretto-Ko as Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Government Affairs, a new position added to the company's leadership team. Reporting to President and CEO Masao Yoshida, Barretto-Ko will be responsible for corporate planning, business development, government policy and external affairs and state government affairs.

"This realignment brings key strategic functions closer together at the corporate level," Yoshida said. "Percival has an outstanding track record both in the pharmaceutical industry and at Astellas' European operations. He will be a great addition to our senior management team."

Barretto-Ko will move from the position of executive director, corporate strategy and communications at Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. While there, he led the global launch of Astellas' new pipeline drug, Advagraf® (tacrolimus prolonged release) in 20 countries. He was promoted to lead the organization's corporate planning function and ultimately directed corporate strategy, corporate planning, corporate communications, crisis management and corporate social responsibility. Prior to joining Astellas, he held increasingly more senior marketing and sales positions with the Roche Group in the United States and United Kingdom. Barretto-Ko earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University, an MBA from Yale School of Management, and an MS from MIT Sloan School of Management, where he recently served as a Sloan Fellow for Innovation and Global Leadership.

About Astellas

Astellas US LLC, located in Deerfield, Illinois, is a U.S. 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. The organization is committed to becoming a global category leader in focused areas by combining outstanding R&D and marketing capabilities. For more information about Astellas US LLC, please visit our website at www.astellas.us or follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AstellasUS.