Celltrion announced on Thursday that it acquired the Primary Care unit in Japanese multinational pharmaceutical firm Takeda's Asia Pacific business.

The deal, worth 332.4 billion won ($278 million), will give Celltrion the rights to 18 of Takeda’s patented drugs in the APAC region that covers nine countries including Korea.

Takeda has 12 prescription drugs and six over-the-counter drug brands distributed in the Asia Pacific region.

Celltrion said that this global merger-acquisition deal, the first of its kind for the company, will give it more ammunition in the chronic illness treatments front such as for diabetes and hypertension.

Takeda had been financially pinched after making a mega-acquirement of rare disease treatment developer Shire, after which it put out business units for sale.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)