The national distributor of Pfizer Inc in Japan has now decided end its role as a distributor of Pfizer drugs. Takeda Pharmaceutical Co, who is also the largest drug maker in Japan, has said that it would stop selling 13 Pfizer drugs. From 2013, Pfizer would be selling its drugs on its own.

However, the Takeda also mentioned that they are not parting ways with Pfizer and would be working closely on arthritis drug Enbrel. More over it would continue to sell Prevenar, a pneumococcus vaccine for children, and the hemophilia B drug BeneFIX.

The marketing alliance between the two companies would cease by the end of this year after which Pfizer would have to take on the promotions and sale of its drugs on its own. The list of drugs that Pfizer would sell on its own includes antibiotic Minomycin, depression treatment Amoxan, acute myeloid leukemia treatment Mylotarg (gemtuzumab ozogamicin), Premarin (conjugated estrogens) and the kidney cancer treatment Torisel (temsirolimus). However it is still not clear whether Viagra would be distributed by Pfizer or Takeda.

Earlier, these licenses were procured by Takeda from Wyeth and currently distributed under an exclusive distribution agreement with Pfizer in Japan.