Takeda is to assume full control of marketing hypertension drug candesartan in the UK from January, ending a seven-year collaboration with AstraZeneca.

Earlier this year, Takeda UK made its entire sales team redundant in order to radically restructure its customer focus, and has timed the new set-up to coincide with taking on full rights to the drug, known as Amias in the UK.

Launched in 1997 in the UK market, the drug is one of number in the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) class competing for sales in the highly competitive hypertension market.

Amias is now the second biggest selling ARB drug in the UK behind the number one, Merck's Cozaar (losartan), having overtaken two rivals in the class during 2004, Novartis' Diovan and BMS/Sanofi-Aventis' Aprovel.

Worldwide, the companies will continue to co-market the drug, with AstraZeneca marketing the drug under the brand name of Atacand, and Takeda calling it Blopress.

Takeda UK marketing director Mark Morrison said the company had enjoyed a very good relationship with AstraZeneca and was now looking forward to further progress with the drug in the UK.

"It's a very exciting time for us with the current radical restructuring process at Takeda UK. Taking over sole marketing and distribution rights for Amias in the UK is crucial to our reorganisation and we are very focused on the way forward for Amias."

Sales of candesartan has been supported by the CHARM trial and the drug recently received EMEA approval for the treatment of patients with heart failure and impaired left ventricle systolic function, adding to its hypertension indication.